Sideways
by K. Walsh
Summary: 'Sideways' is the sequel to a story I wrote called 'Scent'. While you don't need to have read 'Scent' in order to enjoy 'Sideways' it will clear up a lot of confusion you may have and explain the short blonde running around.
1. Chapter 1

_**Law & Order: SVU**_

"**Sideways"**

An Original Law & Order: SVU Story

Copyright 2009 by: K. Walsh

**DISCLAIMER:** Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and all characters are property of NBC and Dick Wolf. All the other characters are fictional and have come from depths of my imagination. This story is an original work of fiction set in the pre-existing world of Law & Order: SVU. All original characters and major storylines contained within this story belong to the author. The pre-existing characters have been borrowed for the purposes of good clean fun…well maybe not clean. Take heed: This story contains coarse language and sexual violence (molestation of minors), brief graphic depictions of violent crime and trauma. There are also scenes of sexuality and mature themes between two female characters and two teenage characters.

**Authors Note: **A special thanks to Torrie and Becca Boo for inspiring The Kid, Shelley for 'The Strip Side', Andrew for 'Tech Support' and Joe Walsh for editing this story. Lastly to all my friends who have put up with me…I know I can be a mess! 'Sideways' is the sequel to a story I wrote called 'Scent'. While you don't need to have read 'Scent' in order to enjoy 'Sideways' it will clear up a lot of confusion you may have and explain the short blonde running around.

**Rating: **18

Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson

Stephanie March as A.D.A Alexandra Cabot

Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler

Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch

Ice-T as Detective Odafin "Fin" Tutuola

Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen

B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang

Diane Neal as Casey Novak

**Prelude**

In the three months since Detective Olivia Benson became Jessica O'Malley's legal guardian their lives had changed considerably; as had Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot's. Due to Olivia's job Alex picked up most of the slack when it came to Jess. The tall thin blonde worked mostly from Olivia's apartment in the evening. Jess made them dinner and read most of Alex's case files. The younger and considerably shorter blonde enjoyed immersing herself in Alex's cases, although Jess had enough going on these days that she really did not need the distraction.

Jess had called Morales in Computer Crimes down at One Police Plaza shortly before she finished her exams in June. They met and had lunch where Jess convinced him that she should work for the summer as a tech assistant with Computer Crimes. Morales brought her back to One P.P. and gave Jess the standard test given to any tech who applied for a job. It was no surprise that she finished the test before the allotted time was up and that she answered all the questions or preformed all the tasks perfectly. There was no doubt Computer Crimes could use her. Morales went to Benson and spoke with her about Jess joining the team for the summer. The detective was grateful Morales had come to her but explained that she did not think it was a good idea, that Jess was just not ready. Morales gave Benson Jess's test scores. The detective sat on the decision for a day. She called Morales and said that as long as Jess was his assistant she could work in Computer Crimes for the summer. The teen, who was dating Dick Stabler and had dyed red streaks in her hair, went to see Dr. Rebecca Hendrix for therapy on Monday morning and Thursday after work and held the position of shortstop on Monday evenings on a baseball team. Jess pleaded with Olivia to come to the baseball games and the detective conceded; she desperately felt as though she was never around enough for Jess. Alex was actually relieved that Olivia was taking over Monday nights. It meant that A.D.A. could stay at the office and work through until the late evening. Olivia had made every effort to be at the games, including having Elliot cover for her most of the time.

Out of all the activities Jess loved baseball the most. She had become particularly close friends with the first baseman, or first basewoman to be more precise. Casey Novak had been censured by the Bar association and disbarred just over two years ago and had since become a writer for the New York Times. Jess and Casey had bonded during a particularly intense conversation over where the best ice cream in the city was served. While Jess did not keep Olivia, or Alex a secret from Casey the strawberry blonde had never made the connection that she use to work with Olivia and had been Alex's predecessor, until their first game. Olivia never made it to the practices but when she showed up for the first baseball game she was shocked to find Casey Novak playing first base. The two had spoken at great lengths after the game. Olivia suggested that Casey come by the squad room at SVU and visit. The detective and the redhead had worked together for years but had lost touch after Casey was disbarred. Detective Elliot Stabler and Casey Novak had a very buddy-buddy relationship and Olivia maintained that he, the other detectives and their Captain, would like to see her. Casey promised to come by.

**Chapter One: The Vic**

290 Central Park West

**Friday August 14, 00:35**

He had been stalking his next star for three weeks now. Although it seemed the New York City police department was determined to shut his website down he knew he had hired the best in the business to keep them at bay. He wanted this, more than he had ever wanted any other star. This one was special, he was sweet, innocent and angelic, and his fans would love the new star. His pedigree only made him more desirable; it also made the thrill of the chase that much more exciting. Standing on the roof of the Central Park West brownstone he inhaled a breath and looked down at the street; it was devoid of moving cars and people. He exhaled. It was time.

He clipped the carabineer to his harness and secured himself before stepping on to the ledge of the roof. He repelled down the side of the brownstone, his gloves making a slight noise against the nylon rope. When he came to first window he tied himself off with the rope and pulled tools from a pocket on the front of his shirt. He used them to jimmy the lock on the window it popped open with ease. All that money and they had shitty windows and no security system he thought to himself. He put the tools back in his pocket and slid the window open. He placed his feet and legs through the opening and released the carabineer from his harness as he slid the rest of his body inside.

He stood looking around the room; it had been tastefully decorated in Transformer and Batman paraphernalia. His eyes slid from the walls to the bed on the other side of the room. The beautiful new star looked even more angelic than usual with the moonlight streaming in onto the bed, he was sleeping. He crept silently over to the bed; he could hear a man and a woman fighting downstairs through the closed bedroom door. He took the small plastic case from the back pocket of his cargo pants. He opened it and took out the cloth inside. The man's voice from downstairs got louder. He placed the cloth over his young star's mouth and nose. The woman downstairs screamed. There was a crash as the man probably pushed her body against something and it shattered as it hit the floor. The star never opened his eyes; he drifted deeper into innocuousness as the chloroform took over his body.

When he was sure the chloroform had taken its full effects he lovingly strung a harness around his new star. He picked up him gently from his bed and attached the harnesses together. As he held his victim in one arm he walked back over to the window he had entered from. He grabbed the nylon rope that was hanging outside and clipped it to his harness. He carefully maneuvered himself and his victim out the window and repelled down the rest of the brownstone to the street below. He unhooked the carabineers that held the rope to his harness. He took a fob out of the side pocket of his cargo pants, pointed it at the Lexus SC 430 and beeped his car unlocked. Very gently he placed his newest star in the passenger's seat and buckled him in. He got in the driver's seat and drove away. It was just that easy.

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Residence of Detective Olivia Benson**

**Friday August 14, 06:45**

Jess was an early riser; she had been her entire life. She got up, padded barefoot out to the living room where she grabbed the paper from outside Olivia's door. As she bent down to pick it up the headline on the front page of the New York Times caught her eyes.

"Socialites' Young Son Kidnapped"

Jess raised her brow as she closed and locked the door. She walked into the kitchen and started the coffee as she read the article. Evan Winthrop, age seven, son of Richard and Vivian Winthrop was abducted last night from his bedroom. It described how the assailant had abducted the young boy. It also gave background on the Winthrop's; a prominent New York City family that had old money and old friends in high places.

Olivia and Alex got up around the same time as Jess. Both women had to be at work for eight. They chose to shower together because quite frankly they relished the time together. Olivia was the first to stir as she heard Jess quietly close the door to her apartment. Her own bedroom door was closed. About a month and a half ago Jess had told Olivia and Alex they could keep their bedroom door closed and that she would knock before coming in.

The brunette felt the blonde behind her, spooning her. The women slept naked all the time now that the door was closed. Alex's left arm was draped over Olivia's side, her hand held Olivia's and their fingers were dovetailed. The detective brought Alex's hand up to her mouth and kissed it. The A.D.A. moved closer to Olivia, bringing her thighs in contact with the backs of the brunette's thighs. Olivia smiled and pushed her backside against the blonde's abdomen. This garnered a small moan from Alex, who gently let go of Olivia's hand. The A.D.A. lovingly ran her fingers along Olivia's side, over her backside and down the front of her left thigh. She took the brunette's thigh in her hand and shifted it up on to her own. As the detective's thighs were spread she pushed her backside harder into Alex. The blonde put her arm around Olivia and spread her fingers out along her stomach. Alex loved feeling the softness of the skin over the firm muscle. She slid her fingers slowly down Olivia's stomach, abdomen and to where the thin patch of hair hid her sex. Alex gently pushed her fingers through the hair and over Olivia's clit. This garnered a moan from the detective as she pushed forward, trying to force a harder touch from her lover.

Alex's eyes opened slightly as she giggled. "Not yet, Detective."

Olivia smiled lazily. "Oh come on, Counselor."

Alex shifted slightly, forcing her lovers legs apart further. She leaned in to Olivia and whispered in her ear. "Not until I'm damn good and ready."

With that Alex grabbed Olivia's stomach again and possessively ran her fingers hard across the muscles, forcing the brunette's body hard against the blonde's. Alex pushed her fingers down Olivia's abdomen and between her legs. The blonde ravished her detective's clit and moved onto her sex, running her fingers through the slick folds. "You're wet, Detective"

The brunette bucked her hips against Alex's fingers, trying to force them inside. Olivia dipped her head back against Alex's neck, bit her bottom lip and said through clenched teeth, "You're good, Counselor."

Alex grabbed Olivia harder and slowly sunk two fingers into her lover. She pushed them in and out while she pinned the brunette to herself. The blonde nibbled on Olivia's earlobe lovingly. "You haven't seen anything yet, Detective." With that Alex flipped the brunette over onto her stomach, she possessively grabbed Olivia's thighs and pulled them up and closer to herself. The beautiful blonde put her left hand on Olivia's shoulder for leverage as she pushed two fingers into the gorgeous brunette and curled them up.

The detective was usually not one to play the submissive, not in bed and not in life. For the A.D.A. there was very little Olivia wouldn't do. She actually enjoyed the power Alex oozed in bed; it was very much like the power she showed in the courtroom. The blonde sunk her teeth into Olivia's right side, causing the detective to hiss through clenched teeth at the painful pleasure. "Ahhhhh, Counselor! Don't leave a mark."

Alex tightened her grip on Olivia's shoulder as she quickened her pace between Olivia's thighs. She continued to playfully bite Olivia's back and shoulders blades. "I'll do what I damn well please, Detective." Alex hissed between bites.

Olivia rocked her hips back and forth to meet her lover's demanding thrusts. Olivia was getting close. Alex pushed a third finger inside Olivia and curled her fingers up inside. The brunette called out in ecstasy. "Uh, uh, uh, right there, don't stop, uh, uh…Al, don't stop."

Alex let out a devilish giggle. "You want to come don't you, detective?"

"Uh, uh, uh, yes, Counselor."

Alex continued her assault on Olivia. "Ask me for permission."

"Uh, Al, baby please. Can I come?"

Olivia leaned her head to the right. Alex leaned down and licked and sucked the tension cord that was exposed. "UHhhhhhhhh, Yesssss" Olivia hissed at the sensation. The detective could not tell if it was Alex's fingers inside her or the A.D.A.'s tongue and teeth nibbling at her neck but it sent her over the edge. "Ohhhhh Fuck Al, DON'T STOP!"

Alex smirked between bites on her lover's neck. "Come for me, Liv."

The detective's orgasm took over and Alex felt it grab her fingers and then try and expel them with its contractions. Olivia tried to move forward and away from Alex's fingers. The blonde grabbed the detective's shoulder harder not letting her move. "Uh, uh, fuck you, let me go." Olivia said breathlessly.

Alex stopped her gentle biting just long enough to whisper. "Not until I'm damn good and ready, Liv." Olivia struggled under Alex's vice-like grip. The A.D.A. slowed her thrusts but would not let the brunette go. After another minute Alex hauled her biting and licking. "I love you, Liv", and she let go of Olivia's shoulder and the detective collapsed, sliding off the blonde's fingers.

Alex smiled and laid on her stomach beside Olivia. Once the Detective had caught her breath she got up and straddled the back of Alex's right thigh. Olivia moved the silky blonde hair to the right side of the A.D.A.'s head and Alex moved her head to the left. The brunette stretched the length of the blonde and put her hands down on the bed at either side of her head. Olivia dropped her head down and licked the tension cord on Alex's neck. The detective bit down gently as her lover had on her only minutes earlier. The blonde shuddered under Olivia's licking and biting. The brunette stopped the love bites and whispered in Alex's ear. "I love you, too."

The women got up, put robes on and went to the bathroom to shower. Olivia turned on the water and Alex got in first. The blonde let the water run down the front of her body, over her breasts and down her stomach. She turned her body around when Olivia got in the shower. Alex closed her eyes and dipped her head back and let the water flow over her hair, turning it darker. Olivia slid her hands over Alex's now slick stomach. She proceeded to ravish her A.D.A

Jess knew what the women that were raising her did in the morning. To anyone else in her position it would be gross, but to Jess it wasn't. She didn't really want to hear it, which is why she turned the music up so loud in the morning in the kitchen as she cooked breakfast. Jess knew both women sacrificed a lot of themselves, not just for her but also for each other, to be with each other. The young blonde knew the women were growing apart. Alex had tried to keep her promise from three months earlier and Jess knew she had. Olivia's and Alex's careers were unbelievably demanding. That, coupled with the responsibility both women felt to be with Jess, was weighing on all three of them.

The teen had sensed a shift four weeks earlier, when Alex had asked if she and Olivia would move into her condo on Central Park West. Olivia had shot the idea down, although Alex had put up a good fight; her place was much bigger and had three bathrooms. Jess knew it made sense to move there but she had not wanted to leave Olivia's apartment. She loved it and felt safe there. While Jess had been to Alex's place and even slept there numerous times it was not the same as Olivia's apartment. When they were alone, the detective had asked Jess if she wanted to move. The blonde has said no but has asked Olivia not to tell Alex. The guilt weighed on Jess, knowing that she was the reason for so much tension between the detective and the A.D.A.

Olivia and Alex, now fully clothed for the day, joined Jess in the kitchen for breakfast. Alex turned down the music coming from Olivia's iPod in the dock on the counter as she poured two cups of coffee, turned and sat down at the kitchen table. Olivia was already sitting down. Jess set the three plates down on the kitchen table, sat down and tossed the paper in the middle of the table. "Richard and Vivian Winthrop's son, Evan was abducted last night from his bedroom."

Alex's brow shot up. "What? Really?" and she grabbed the paper with her left hand as she forked in a mouthful of eggs with her right. The older blonde skimmed the article and read the highlights out loud once she swallowed her eggs.

Olivia shook her head. "That's so tragic, right from his own bed as he slept."

Jess looked down at her plate and pushed the food without actually putting any on the fork. "No one is ever safe. Not even on Central Park West in their own bed."

Alex and Olivia looked at each other and then at the teen sitting with them. Olivia sighed. "Jess, you know you're safe right?"

Alex touched her knee under the table. "I made sure Brian Nudds was remanded into custody. He will not be getting out."

Jess did not look up. It wasn't just her safety that Jess worried about. She worried all the time now that Olivia and Alex would break up. She felt safe with both of them; not having one of them would break her. Knowing that it would be her fault made her heart ache. She could not take it anymore. "I want to move."

Olivia and Alex looked at each other and furrowed their brows in unison. The abduction hadn't happened near where Olivia lived; it happened about a block and a half from Alex's penthouse condo. The women did not understand Jess's reasoning. Olivia turned her attention back to Jess. "Sweetheart, I don't understand. Why do you want to move?"

Jess looked up at Olivia with tears in her eyes. She could not tell Livie the truth, it would make both the women she was sitting with feel guilty. "I just want to. I think we should move in with Ally."

Alex did not quite understand the logic but she liked what Jess was saying. When Olivia refused to move in with her four weeks ago it had crushed Alex. The A.D.A. knew the refusal was at the behest of Jess, but now the young woman was ready. "Jessie, are you sure?"

Olivia and Alex had taken to calling Jess 'Jessie' or 'Kid' as pet names. Jess looked at Alex as tears streamed down her face. "Yes."

The detective was not convinced. She wasn't sure why Jess was lying but she knew the kid well enough to see through most of her act. "Tell me why after four weeks you want to move?"

Jess looked down at her plate again and shrugged. "I just do."

Alex caught on, she knew Jess was lying; the shorter blonde could look most people in the face with false bravado and lie right to them. Olivia and Alex were not most people; Jess could not look at them and lie. Olivia played the heavy with Jess and all three women knew it. "Don't lie to us Jessie. Why do you want to move?"

Jess knew she couldn't look at either woman and lie; she also knew she could not look at them and tell the truth. It was strange to Jess that after all these years she found herself playing the role of a child with two parents. She was sixteen and for the first time in her life she found herself sometimes being able to actually act her age. This was one of those times. Jess threw the fork that was in her right hand onto her plate and stood up quickly, sending the chair she had been sitting in flying. "I just want to! Olivia, why do you have to interrogate me like a perp?"

Olivia looked hurt and shocked as her jaw dropped. Jess never called Olivia anything but Livie. It killed Jess to see her this way; it hurt Alex too. "Jessie, Liv isn't interrogating you. She…we just want to make sure you are ready for this."

Jess tuned her attention to Alex. "I'm fine with it. I'm ready. Let's not make a capital case out of it, Alexandra." With that Jess left the table and headed for the shower. She hadn't called Alex anything but Ally in three months.

Olivia looked down as tears formed in her eyes. Alex looked over at Olivia. "Big words for our little girl this morning."

The detective looked up as she blinked the first tear out and it rolled down her cheek. Alex stood up, walked over to Olivia and knelt down beside her. "She did not mean it. You know that. Liv, you have to know that. Jess didn't mean to call us by our full names."

Olivia looked down at Alex. "I know. It doesn't make it any easier though."

Alex put her arms around the woman she loved. "No, it doesn't."

The brunette sighed as she put her arms around Alex. "She's not ready, Al."

Alex sighed. "I know she's not."

A breath caught in Olivia's throat. "How much longer can we keep this up?"

The A.D.A. tightened her grip on Olivia. "I don't know. I love you, Liv." Alex inhaled quickly as she choked back tears. "I really do love you, but we can't keep pretending."

Olivia and Alex exhaled at the same time. "Alex, please, just tell me what to do. I will do anything, please. I can't let you go."

Alex loosened her grip and looked up at Olivia. "Liv, you know it isn't just one thing and it isn't just you. It's everything and both of us. There just isn't enough time. We both want to be with Jess and we both have ridiculously demanding careers. Neither of us can change any of that."

Olivia looked into Alex's tear stained deep blue eyes. "I know you are right, but I will not let you go. I can't."

The taller woman shook her head. "Liv, we don't have a choice. We can't live like this. Are you happy with us?"

The detective closed her eyes against what her lover was saying. She opened them again, hoping she had been dreaming. She stared down at Alex. "No, I'm not happy with us."

The women embraced again and held each other as they cried. When the water in the shower stopped running Olivia spoke. "When should we tell Jess?"

Alex's sobbing subsided. "Let's give her the weekend. We will spend as much time together with her as possible. We can tell her on Monday."

"I don't want this."

"Liv, I don't want it either."

**Manhattan SVU Squad Room**

**Friday August 14, 08:03**

Olivia walked into the bullpen and sat down in the chair at her desk. She leaned her elbows on her knees, looked down at the floor and flipped her cell phone in her hands.

Elliot looked at his partner from across their desks. He knew something was up, it had been up for almost a month and he was convinced it had to do with their A.D.A. "Olivia?"

Olivia continued to mindlessly flip her cell phone in her hands, completely unaware her partner was addressing her. Elliot stood up and walked around his desk until he was in front of Olivia. He reached down and took the phone out of her hands. His partner finally looked up at him. "We're going around the corner for coffee, I'm buying."

She nodded but said nothing. The partners walked out of the one-six and down the street; neither said anything. When they got to the corner Elliot looked at Olivia sideways. "Liv, what is going on?"

The brunette looked across the street and saw a bench. She crossed the street and Elliot followed her. They sat on the bench and looked at the road in front of them. Olivia sighed. "Jess had an argument with me and Alex this morning. She called us by our full names."

Elliot understood how significant that was. The teen never called either woman by their full name, Jess never called him by his either. It was a sign of affection. "That's not like her. What happened?"

"Alex asked us to move in with her a month ago. I shot the idea down to save Jess from having to say no to Alex. I knew she wasn't ready to move out of my place. This morning she claimed she was ready to move, that she wanted to. When we questioned her about the decision she became angry with us."

"What is going between you and Cabot?"

Olivia sighed. She knew she would have to tell Elliot eventually. "It's over. With me and Alex, it's over."

Elliot looked at his partner, his mouth open slightly. "What?! What the hell happened?"

She felt his eyes on her but could not look at him. "We've grown apart. Between our jobs and trying never to leave Jess alone we don't have time for each other."

"Have you told Jess?"

"No we are going to spend this weekend with her and then tell her on Monday."

"Olivia, Jess already knows."

Olivia looked at him. "No she doesn't. Alex and I have been careful; we never fight in front of her."

"Liv, Jess is highly intelligent. She picked up on you and Cabot in less than twenty-four hours. Do you really think she doesn't know what is going on? At the very least she knows the two of you have grown apart. I guarantee she thinks it is her fault."

She shook her head. "You don't know that!"

"Why would she agree to move and then not tell you the truth about why?"

Olivia turned her head and stared at the street again, not answering him. She knew he was right.

Elliot continued to stare at his partner. "Liv, do you love Alex?"

The brunette squinted her eyes but stared straight ahead. "Yes."

"Does she love you?"

"Yes."

Elliot shook his head. "Then work it out. This isn't brain surgery, Olivia."

She sighed. "It's not that simple El. We can't change anything."

He continued to look hard at his partner; he wanted her to face him. "Yes you can. Give Jess some room and take Cabot out. Hell, Jess can stay at our place and give you and Alex a break."

Olivia shook her head as she watched the lights change from red to green. "Jess has been through enough. I'm not leaving her alone anymore than I absolutely have to."

Elliot finally looked away, giving up on having his partner look at him. "You know you and Cabot should give Jess more credit. I think she would be fine for a night. She spends all kinds of time at my place anyway."

She looked at her partner. "El, would you ever sacrifice one of your children's health or recovery for anything?"

He continued to stare straight ahead. "No." He turned and looked into his partner's eyes. "But I would explore every avenue possible before breaking up with their mother."

Olivia sighed as she stared into his green eyes. She knew he was right, but it was just so difficult to be with Alex in the situation they found themselves in. "I thought you were buying me coffee?"

The partners walked in the one-six and up to the squad room. As they entered, Captain Donald Cragen was coming out of his office. He addressed all four detectives; Fin and Munch were sitting at their desks in the bullpen. "Just got a call from Morales at Computer Crimes. We have a new victim on the kiddy porn site we are trying to shut down with them."

Elliot couldn't believe it. There were already five male victims, the newest made six. He looked hard at his Captain. "How old is he?"

The Captain looked at the detective. "He's seven years old. We have a bigger problem." Cragen looked around at all the detectives. "The newest victim is Evan Winthrop."

Olivia's jaw dropped in shock. "He's the son of Richard and Vivian Winthrop. He was kidnapped from his bedroom last night. The story was on the front page of the Times this morning."

Cragen looked at his team. "I can't stress how high-profile this child pornography website case just became. The other five victims are just as important, but this case is about to make front-page news. The Winthrops' come from old New York money and have very influential friends, including the Mayor and the Chief of Detectives. I want everyone breathing this case until the site is shut down and all the victims are returned to their families. Fin, Munch, I want you to go to the Winthrop Brownstone on Central Park West and go over the crime scene where Evan was taken from last night. The detectives that initially caught the case are meeting you there to give you everything they have. Benson, Stabler, I want you to go down to One P.P. and find out where Morales and Jess are on finding the proprietor of the site, the location of where the site originates and how close they are to shutting it down."

The four detectives nodded to their captain and grabbed keys to their unmarked sedans. Cragen looked at his detectives. "People I want updates on everything. You don't so much as take a coffee break without calling it in to me."

As the detectives headed out of the bullpen they nodded again to their Captain and left the precinct with their assignments.

**290 Central Park West**

**Residence of Mr. and Mrs. Winthrop **

**Friday August 14, 09:17**

Munch and Fin had arrived at the Winthrop brownstone just as the other detectives had. The detectives that initially caught the case gave John and Fin everything they had and then left the scene. They reviewed the case notes before they walked up and rang the doorbell to the brownstone.

The detectives produced their badges to the housekeeper that answered the door.

"Hi, I'm Detective Munch, this is my partner Detective Tutuola. We need to speak with Mr. and Mrs. Winthrop."

The housekeeper looked withdrawn and allowed them accesses. "Please come in." She closed the door behind them. "I'll tell the Winthrops you are here." With that the housekeeper disappeared down a hall and around a corner; leaving Munch and Fin in the foyer.

Fin looked around at the sight before the detectives. "Nice digs."

Munch took in the mammoth mahogany staircase before them and the granite flooring. "You're tellin' me. It must be nice living on the two-hundred block of Central Park West."

He gave his partner a half smile as Munch looked at him. "You should ask Jess next time you see her."

Munch furrowed his brow. He had seen Jess's apartment when she was living on her own and it was nowhere near here. John also knew Olivia lived uptown, not on Central Park West. "What the hell are you talking about?"

The detective shook his head slightly. "Cabot lives up here. Jess said it was the three-hundred block, penthouse condo."

Munch raised his eyebrows. "The kid must love that. Liv's a lucky woman."

A man appeared in the hall and came towards the detectives. When he came into the foyer the man looked stunned but held out his hand to shake. "I'm Richard Winthrop"

Fin took the hand first. "I'm Detective Tutuola and this is my partner Detective Munch. We're from Manhattan's Special Victims Unit."

Munch shook Richard's hand. "Mr. Winthrop I know this is a very difficult time but we would like to ask you and your wife some questions."

Richard Winthrop shifted on his feet. "I'm not sure how much more my wife and I can tell you people about what happened. We already spoke with detectives."

Fin looked hard at Winthrop. There was something about him that made the detective un-easy. "I know, sir, and we're sorry about all this. Your son's case has been turned over to Special Victims Unit. We just need a few minutes of you and your wife's time. We were also hoping to see your son's bedroom."

Winthrop looked hard at the detectives; something that did not go unnoticed by either one. "Fine, if you must. We are in the study."

Richard turned and started to walk back down the hallway, waving for the detectives to follow him. Once inside the study Richard sat down next to his wife on a brown leather couch and motioned for the detectives to sit in club chairs across from the couch. "Vivian these are detectives Munch and Tutuola, they are with the Special Victims Unit. They are taking over Evan's case."

Vivian Winthrop looked disheveled. Her hair was out of place and her blouse was un-cuffed and the sleeves were rolled up. She had her legs tucked up under herself and a blanket pulled around her. Vivian nodded to the detectives but did not say anything.

Knowing what the detectives did about where Evan was now, more questions needed to be asked, different ones. It was fairly clear no ransom demand was ever going to come; it hadn't in the previous five cases. Who ever was kidnapping the young boys only wanted to abuse them, they hadn't returned any of the victims so far. Munch cleared his throat. "Can you two please tell us where you were and what you were doing last night between twelve and one AM?"

The wife started to cry. Richard shook his head at her, it appeared almost in disgust. "We were here, at home."

Fin looked hard at Richard Winthrop. Something wasn't right here. "Did you hear anything? The window being jimmied open?"

Vivian's crying became louder. Her husband looked at her and quickly tried to put his hand on her but she moved away so quickly that the blanket fell away from her, leaving her arms exposed.

"My wife is very upset. This has been a very difficult time for all of us. Can we please do this another time?"

Munch looked at Richard. "I'm sorry Mr. Winthrop but we would really like to finish this now. Did you hear anything upstairs last night?"

Richard glared at Munch. "No we did not! Don't you think if we had we would have gone up there?!"

Fin looked at Vivian. There were fresh bruises on her wrists and forearms. He glanced at Richard. "What were you doing at home last night? Why weren't you in bed yet, it was late."

Richard turned his glare to Fin. "My wife and I are night-hawks...insomnia the doctors call it. We were up talking."

Fin squinted his eyes at Richard. "Talking or arguing?"

The husband looked hard at the detective. "We were talking and I resent the accusation detective. My wife and I have a very loving relationship."

Munch looked at Vivian and saw the bruises. He had also been married enough times to know that no marriage is without its arguments. "If you were just talking how could you not hear footsteps upstairs?"

Richard turned his attention to Munch. "It's a big house detective. I think we are done here. I can have Isabella show you to my son's room before she sees you out."

He called for Isabella. She arrived in the study within a minute and took the detectives upstairs at the behest of her boss. Munch and Fin went over the crime scene and sweet talked Isabella into letting them go up to the roof.

**One Hogan Place**

**Office of A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot**

**Friday August 14, 09:00**

Alex was not due in court until the afternoon but was behind on the prep for her next case. Her cell phone interrupted her paper work and her thoughts.

"So come on, get higher, loosen my lips  
Faith and desire in the swing of your hips  
Just pull me down hard  
And drown me in love"

The sides of Alex's mouth tugged up into a smile and her eyes softened as the ring tone played. She loved Olivia Benson more than life itself. How did it get so complicated? "Hey you."

Olivia smiled on the other end, she could tell by Alex's tone she was smiling. "Hey you, how are you doing?"

Alex sat back in her chair slightly taken aback; Olivia had not asked her that in a long time. The phone calls between the two had been limited to who is staying home with or picking up Jess; that and an endless string of canceled plans with the other. "Prepping for the D'Angelo case this afternoon; Jess had me up late two nights ago playing a video game until we eventually settled down. I started going through the case and she was working on the kiddy porn website stuff."

Olivia giggled. "She outlasted you didn't she?"

Alex laughed and shook her head. "Jessie woke me up at twelve-ten that night on the couch. She said I was snoring and she couldn't concentrate. We went to bed shortly after that. I didn't get through nearly enough last night to prep for today."

Olivia smiled and shook her head. She had never known Alex to let anything play second fiddle to her work. Hearing her say that she had been playing with Jess instead of working made Olivia realize how much had changed for the women. She had asked so much of Alex over the last three months and she had come through for her in spades. How had things gone so wrong? How had she and Alex drifted so far apart? "You don't snore, you breathe heavily and it's cute. What video game did Jessie make you play?"

Alex giggled, not only at the comment but also as she recalled. "Don't laugh. Dance, Dance, Revaluation."

It was too late the detective was already in stitches. "You bailed on prepping a case to play that dancing game on the mats that sound like you are walking on diapers?"

Alex threw her head back in laughter; partly because hearing it said out loud was funny and partly because she had not heard Olivia's unbridled laugher in ages. "Okay, okay yes! I know it is lame but I love playing that game with her. I'm not good at Rockband, you are. Let Jessie and I have DDR!"

Although Alex was joking around it dawned on Olivia right then that very soon the women would have to share Jess in a way they never had. Alex and Jess were attached at the hip; it would be heartbreaking for either not to see the other. Olivia tried to hide the sadness she felt all of a sudden by smiling as she spoke. "All right, you and Jessie can have your DDR. I think it's cute that you ditched work to play with her."

Alex felt the shift in Olivia's emotion. Her detective was upset and was trying to cover it up. She looked down and sighed. Olivia was Jess's guardian and although Alex had no legal right to the teen she desperately wanted to continue to be in her life once she and Olivia broke up. "I love playing with Jessie. Hearing her laugh it…it makes the shitty parts of life fall away for a few minutes. I really don't know what I would do without her."

Olivia looked out the window of the sedan. She hadn't indented on having such a personal conversation with her partner beside her. "That won't happen, Alex. You can see her as often as you want. I promise I won't keep the two of you apart. It would break Jessie's heart not to see you."

Tears welled up in Alex's eyes. "Thank-you, Liv. I really…I really appreciate that. What time do you think you might be getting off work tonight? I'd like to cook dinner for you."

Olivia choked back tears at hearing Alex's tone; it was genuine. "Actually that's why I called; I might be working late tonight."

Alex sighed on the other end of the phone. Even with the offer of a last-ditch-effort for dinner Olivia was still unable to give up just a little bit in order to be with her. It didn't surprise her, but it hurt all the same. "What's up?"

The detective sighed knowing how this must sound to Alex. "The kiddy porn website posted a new video with a new victim this morning."

Alex's tone shifted. "Oh, God."

Olivia nodded mindlessly. "Alex, the newest victim is Evan Winthrop. He wasn't taken for the Winthrop's money. He was taken by the psychopath from the website."

The A.D.A.'s left hand went to her mouth. "Oh God, no."

**Computer Crimes**

**One Police Plaza**

**Friday August 14, 09:45 **

Elliot parked the sedan in the underground parking garage of One P.P. He and his partner rode the elevator up to third floor and entered the unmarked door that let to Morales' and now Jess's office. Morales looked up first. "Hey Stabler, hey Benson"

The detectives nodded at Morales. Olivia went over to Jess and Elliot walked over to Morales. "Whatta got, Morales?"

Morales shook his head. "It isn't want I have; it's what Jess has" as he nodded to the teen.

Jess was sitting in her chair at her desk, staring hard at the screen of the laptop in front of her; she had not seen or heard the detectives come in. She was typing so fast it was hard for the detective to believe she was typing anything but gibberish.

Olivia sidled up to Jess and stood beside her, in her personal space. It took about five seconds but Jess stopped typing dead in her tracks having taken in the detective's scent. There was just something about the faint scent of Olivia's perfumes that made the young woman stop whatever she was doing and always instantly made her happy and feel safe.

She did not take her fingers off the keyboard nor did she take her eyes off the laptops screen. Jess simply leaned the side of her head to the left. It made contact with the side of Olivia's thigh. The younger woman leaned the full weight of her head against the detective's leg and closed her eyes slowly. Jess did not know what to say to her. She knew she had totally over-reacted in the kitchen that morning, but she had no other choice. Olivia placed a hand on top of Jess's head and ran it gently over the incredibly soft blonde curls until she found the side of the child's neck. The detective held Jess's head carefully and tickled her neck.

Jess giggled at Olivia's light touch. "I'm sorry about this morning."

Olivia looked down at the young blonde, still tickling her gently. "I know."

She looked up at the brunette and opened her eyes. "Livie, I really am sorry. I didn't mean it. I mean I do want to move but I didn't mean to call you and Ally by your whole names."

The detective smiled at Jess. "I know sweetheart, we both know. We can talk about it tonight. What have you got on the website?"

Jess was surprised at the ease in Olivia's tone. The detective usually rode the young woman pretty hard; Jess respected that and responded well to it. Aside from her gentle touch it was how Olivia showed her love for Jess. The teenage was skeptical of the ease the detective demonstrated. She turned her attention back to the laptop and motioned with her right hand for Elliot and Morales to come closer. Olivia let her hand fall away from Jess as the young woman straightened up in her chair. Jess ran her fingers over the keyboard and the website SVU was trying to shut down appeared. "Well, the first post of Evan Winthrop went up this morning around eight-fifteen. There is a ton of chatter about him on the website, which I attribute to his pedigree and to the fact that his abduction made the front page of many papers world wide."

The teen clicked a link on the site and the video of Evan Winthrop popped up and started in front of everyone. The little boy was on a bed, clad only in his underpants. A man entered the frame from the left and sat down on the bed beside the child, with his back to the camera. Evan flinched as the man put out his hand to touch the little boy on the head. The unidentified man patted Evan on the head and caressed his tiny face. The child visibly whimpered and shied away from the man. The pedophile must have said something to Evan because he laid down on the bed. There was no audio with the video so there was no way of knowing what was said, if anything. The predator ran his right hand over the boy, starting with his face and ending between the child's legs.

Elliot ran his right hand over his face. "I can't watch this anymore."

Evan started to cry. The man on the bed caressed the little boy's face again; wiped away a few tears got up and walked out of frame. The video ended there.

Olivia could not believe what she had just witnessed. They had to shut this down, now. "How close are we to finding the origin of this website?"

Jess closed the window the video had played in as well as the window that housed the website. This left up on the screen a very DOS looking window, with a curser flashing at the end of some letters, numbers and backslashes. "Look, the proprietor of this website is good. When I say good I mean they are a fuckin' genius and it's obvious that they have hired extremely good people to set up the website and maintain it. They are using proxy servers from all over the world to evade us, which isn't new news. I gave up on beating the proxy servers two days ago, there are too many and they seem to be different every day. I decided to take a new approach on finding our suspect."

Morales looked surprised, he knew Jess had done nothing but eat, sleep and breath this case since he gave up and let her sink her teeth into it. He had told her to use every trick she knew in order to infiltrate the site and take it down. Morales had also told Jess to keep him updated on her progress. She had failed to mention any new approach.

Elliot looked down at Jess. "What is your new approach?"

Jess swiveled in her chair and looked up to face the two detectives and her superior. "While I was being bounced around proxy servers I found some very odd strings of numbers. They meant nothing to me at the time. However when I went back and looked at them again I thought they might be some kind of a code. The more I worked with the numbers the clearer the codes became. The numbers were three IP addresses. I used some back door magic and found two email addresses that appear to be sending messages back and forth from those address. Those I typed into an email tracing program in order to find their origins."

Morales was in awe more than anything. He had forgotten that Jess had not updated him and was engrossed with what the young woman had done. "Did the program spit out the origins yet?"

The laptop beeped and the flashing curser moved across the screen as it laid down an address. Jess turned in her chair and looked hard at the screen. "I think it just did. The program should give us the sender's geographical location, and the company providing Internet service for the IP addresses." Jess squinted as she read out loud the information the computer had given them. "It only gave an address for one IP and email address. You're looking for a location in Chelsea, 276 9th Avenue, apartment six-thirty. It's at 9th and West 26th Street." She turned a looked at the detectives.

Elliot looked down at her. "I don't understand a lot of what just happened here. What are we going to find at the address in Chelsea?"

Olivia finished writing the address on a note pad. She looked up and at her partner. "We'll find either the proprietor of the website or the second in command."

He looked from Jess to Olivia and back to the teen. She nodded to him. "And is this enough for probable cause?"

Jess nodded again. "Yeah, it should be. Run it by Ally first, though."

Elliot looked to Morales for confirmation. Morales looked away from Jess for the first time and made eye contact with Stabler. "Jess, will have to testify in court and explain her process but yes it is enough for probable cause."

The detective hugged Jess. "Good work kid." He let go of her and looked at Olivia. "Let's roll."

Olivia bent down and hugged Jess. "Love ya, Jessie. Nice work. We'll go back to the squad and run the address."

The detectives left the office and Morales looked down at Jess. "Nice work Rook"

Jess smiled at him and nodded.

**Manhattan SVU Squad Room**

**Friday August 14, 11:00**

Stabler and Benson walked through the door and into the bullpen of the one-six. Munch and Fin were at their desks. Through some kind of a sixth sense Captain Cragen sidled out of his office and into the bullpen knowing that all of his detectives were back in the squad room. "Whatta we got people?"

Elliot sat down in his chair and leaned back. "An address"

Olivia sat down and turned slightly to the right in order to be able to make eye contact with Cragen. "The street address that should lead us to the ringleader or the second in command."

Cragen looked at Benson surprised. "How did we acquire this piece of information?"

The detective gave her Captain a small crooked smile. "Jess came through for us. She worked her ass off and found three IP addresses. That led to two email addresses. She traced one of the email addresses to an address in Chelsea."

Cragen nodded and gave a half smile. "Remind me to get her a gift card to iTunes." He turned his attention to Fin and Munch. "What did you get from the Winthrops?"

Munch looked at him. "Not much. They were not real forthcoming with information. Not last night when they gave their initial statements and not today when we questioned them again. The perp repelled off the roof of their brownstone, jimmied the window in Evan's room open and entered the home."

Fin looked at his Captain. "Evan must have been asleep because there were no signs of a struggle. The perp must have grabbed him and repelled down to the street."

Stabler looked around at everyone. "That can't be the whole story. Even if Evan was sleeping he would have woken up at some point."

Munch looked at Stabler and then around at everyone else. "We thought of that. The perp must have subdued the victim some how. Chloroform maybe, something that would have taken effect instantly."

Benson looked from Munch to Fin. "And the parents never heard anything from Evan's room? No footsteps, not the window?"

Fin looked at Olivia and shook his head. "They deny hearing anything, claim they were downstairs talking."

Elliot squinted his eyes at Fin. "You don't' believe them?"

He looked at Elliot and then to everyone else. "I ain't buying that they were talking. Mrs. Winthrop had fresh bruises on her."

Elliot leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk. "You're telling me that Mr. Winthrop's defense for not hearing his only child being abducted upstairs was because he was beating his wife downstairs?"

Fin nodded and Munch said, "Looks that way."

Benson looked at her co-workers with a raised right eyebrow and said in a sarcastic tone, "Well this guy is a real prince, isn't he?"

Cragen looked at her and then to everyone else. "His royal linage aside", he said in a very dry tone. "The chances of Mr. Winthrop having anything to do with his son's abduction are very small at this point. We need to go after the people behind the website. Run the address in Chelsea. Call Cabot for a search warrant and then the four of you pick up anyone at the address. I want everything in the residence seized. The Winthrop family is a very powerful one. If it hits the papers that Evan is on the website we will lose any amenity we have in trying to shut it down."

Stabler ran the address Jess had given them. It came back to a man named Ronald Blaze. Benson called Alex and asked her to come to the squad regarding a search warrant. Munch ran Blaze's social security number and Fin ran him through the DMV.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Hook, Line and Sinker**

A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot, Computer Crime's tech Morales and Jessica O'Malley busted through the doors of Manhattan's Special Victims Unit shortly after noon. Alex opened, "I'm due in court back downtown in less than an hour, bottom line this for me."

The detectives looked at the three individuals that were now in their presence. Elliot was the first to speak. "We ran the address Jess gave us. It bounced back to a guy named Ronald Blaze."

Olivia was taken aback by Alex's tone…skirt suit and her heels. The skirts always got her but she composed herself. "Ronald Blaze is a computer programmer, or at least he was until he was laid off a year ago."

Fin looked at the A.D.A.; Olivia really was a lucky woman. "He's been drawing unemployment insurance every since."

Alex furrowed her brow as she put her briefcase down on the desk that used to be Jess's. "He's drawing UI and he lives in Chelsea?"

Munch looked over his glasses at her. "We thought the same thing. We get the impression he might be subsidizing his income."

Alex crossed her arms and looked hard at Jess. It was the first time Jess would be playing a major role in a case. The foundation of the warrant would be based on her work. Alex had never played hardball with the younger blonde, better here and now than in a courtroom tomorrow with a Judge and a defense attorney. "How did you get his address?"

The detectives, and now their Captain watched the teenager and the Assistant District Attorney dance. It was something that had to be done if Jess was serious about her Tech job. This wasn't a small piece of the puzzle she had put together; it was their whole case at this point. No amount of wit, charm or class was going to get Jess through this; intelligence, professionalism and cold hard facts where the teen's current defense.

Jess had seen Alex in the courtroom before. She had looked and sounded this intense but the intensity had never been directed at her before. 'If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen' was something that Tony Carpino had always said to Jess. The fact was she loved the kitchen. She squared her shoulders but spoke in an even tone to her A.D.A. "I found some odd strings of numbers while I was trying to find the actual server the website was using to stream over the Internet. After two days I got fed up being bounced around the world with proxy servers so I went back to these numbers. The numbers were actually three IP addresses. I monitored the addresses and found two email addresses that appeared to be sending messages back and forth. I typed the two addresses into an email-tracing program in order to find out their origins. Only one address came back, the one in Chelsea; I gave it to detectives Stabler and Benson."

Alex uncrossed her arms, leaned down and put her palms on the desk. She continued to stare hard at Jess. "Ms. O'Malley do you have the records to substantiate the monitoring and tracing you preformed?"

Over Jess's shoulder and across her body was a laptop bag, she never went anywhere without her laptop. Jess sashayed over to Alex calmly, but with a hint in her eyes that told the older blonde she knew what she was doing. In front of everyone Jess admired professionally she reached into a side pocket, pulled out at file and handed it to Alex. "It's all there Counselor. Please peruse it but I think you'll find it all in order. The question becomes is it enough to prove P.C. for a warrant?"

Alex took the file and opened it. She skimmed the paper work. Jess had been correct, she had typed up the reports and Morales had signed off on them, as her superior. There were screen shots of all the traces that had been performed, with Jess's signature on them. There was more than enough evidence for a search warrant of Ronald Blaze's apartment in Chelsea. Alex was pleased, and quite proud. Jess had done incredible work. She closed the file, looked at the shorter blonde expressionless and sighed. "There is enough evidence for probable cause. Once a search warrant is obtained and is carried out it is possible that Ronald Blaze will be formally charged with crimes. Ms. O'Malley you will have to testify to the validity of this evidence in court. Are you prepared for that?"

Jess looked hard at Alex; she wondered at what point the A.D.A. would break out of this because God knows Jess was not going to give her the satisfaction of being the first to break. She met Alex's gaze with an emotionless one of her own. "Absolutely. I would not have performed the work and written the reports if I wasn't prepared to stand behind it."

The A.D.A. nodded her head. "That's a good work ethic Ms. O'Malley." Alex turned and addressed the squad. "There is enough evidence here for a search warrant. I want Morales and O'Malley to aid in the seizure of any computers or tech equipment." Alex's tone shifted, it was less intense and more like her normal voice. "This case is getting bigger by the minute." Alex turned to Cragen. "Don, I'm sure you have received as many ass-chewing phone calls as Jack McCoy has today. No one outside of this room can find out about Evan Winthrop on that website. We need to shut it down and deal with the fallout later."

Captain Cragen nodded his head. "This squad agrees. No one will talk to the press and it would appear the Winthrop's would like their privacy at this point. We'll hold their hands but hold back on the details of their son's case."

Alex nodded. "Good." She picked up her briefcase from Jess's old desk. "I'm going to the courthouse to procure a search warrant. I'll call when I have it and I'll send it with my assistant. She can meet you at the apartment."

Jess turned and walked back towards Morales to give Alex room to leave. As the A.D.A. walked she took the shorter blonde's hand in hers and they walked out the doors of SVU. As they stood at the top of the stairs Alex gently grabbed the younger woman around the waist and pulled her back in her arms. "You did remarkable work here, Jessie."

The teenager smiled as she put her own hands on top of Alex's. "Thanks, Ally"

Jess had called her Ally. It made the A.D.A. smile. Alex bent down and kissed the left side of Jess's neck gently. It was something the women did to each other. Jess and Alex shared a number of experiences; one of which was a cut to the left side of each woman's neck, courtesy of Brian Nudds. It escaped even Olivia why the two blondes' did this but it seemed to almost comfort both of them. Jess giggled and turned slightly to whisper in Alex's ear. "I'm sorry about this morning. I do want to move, but I didn't mean to say Alexandra."

She had known from the moment the words had left Jess's mouth this morning she had not meant them. Not just how she had referred to her and Olivia but also the part about moving. "I know you did not mean it. We'll talk tonight."

There was something about the way Alex said the last three words that sent off bells in Jess's head. Olivia had said the same thing; her pseudo mothers had talked about tonight. She played off her sudden fear of nightfall. "Thanks for keeping it real when it came to my work."

Alex let go of the teen and stood up straight. Jess turned in Alex's personal space to meet the stunning sky blue eyes. "I have to, that's my job. You have to as well. This isn't a game."

Jess nodded, the smile having left her face. "I know it isn't. I've seen every video of our victims those animals have posted. I want this site shut down more than anything."

Alex looked down at the innocent deep green eyes of the teenager. "Good, you are the key to this. We need you in order to shut them down. I'm going to get the search warrant."

She nodded and Alex turned and left. Jess went back into the squad room. The A.D.A. felt bad about not pulling Olivia out into the hall as well. At least then she could have hugged her, been close to her. Alex had to accost a Judge and plead her case for a search warrant before she went into court to plead the people's case to another Judge. The tall blonde hailed a cab outside of the precinct. Once inside the cab Alex pulled out her cell phone and called her assistant to have her meet Alex at the courthouse. She then sent a text to Olivia.

Jess took off the laptop bag, carefully set it down, and sat at her old desk. It had been a while since she had spent any great length of time in the squad room. She and Morales were stuck there until the search warrant came through. It would be a waste of time to go downtown and back to work just to come more than half way back uptown to Chelsea. Morales had pulled up a chair and was sitting a couple of feet from Jess. Cragen had gone into his office and closed the door after he heard his phone ringing. Munch looked at Jess. "Nice work, Tech O'Malley"

Jess smiled, put her feet up on her desk and folded her hands in her lap. "Thanks, Conspiracy." She looked at Fin. "Although I should be thanking Fin and Ken. The laptop Ken built for me in outstanding. With a few upgrades and tweaking, it's now better than anything One P.P. has."

Fin looked at Jess. "You're welcome, Kid. How do you like Computer Crimes?"

Her smile widened as she nodded. "I love it. It's incredible."

Elliot leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on his desk. He had not seen much of Jess lately. She had been at his house a fair amount but almost never when he was there. He also knew she had been seeing a lot of his son, Dick. "We've missed you here, Jess."

The smile became a smirk and she rolled her eyes at him. "I'm sure you have. Without me here who calls you on your crap, old man?"

This brought a smile to all four detectives' faces, as well as Morales's. Elliot laced his fingers behind his head as he grinned. "Oh Liv takes care of that, don't you worry."

Jess raised her right eyebrow at Elliot and said in a dry tone, "I have no doubt."

Elliot had missed this. "It's not as much fun around here without you. You bring something to the table…"

Jess's smirk became a full-on eat-shit smile. "A certain je ne sais quoi, if you will?"

Olivia smiled. God, she missed Jess when she wasn't with her. It was unbelievable how easily the child fit right back in. The tit for tat game had gotten the best of the squad as they laughed out loud. The sixteen-year-old had out verbalized Stabler using another language. Olivia looked at Jess and through her laughter she said, "Good to have you back, Jessie."

Jess smiled at the detectives. "It's good to be back."

Olivia's cell phone beeped and she grabbed it out of her pocket. Jess laced her fingers behind her head and looked at squad. "Who's in for pizza?"

The detectives looked at her completely bewildered. Fin took the first shot. "You're kidding, right?"

Munch looked over his glasses at her. "You used to berate us all the time about getting take-out."

Jess shrugged. "I left my lunch back at the office. It's past high-noon, let's eat. Who's in, kids?"

Stabler looked at Jess and reached for his wallet. "I'm in as long as it's not from Pino's"

Fin took his wallet out as did Munch and Benson. Fin walked over. "Same here."

Olivia didn't look up from her cell. She opened her wallet, fished out money and threw it across the desk with her left hand. "Ditto."

Jess unlaced her hands and held them up looking at the detectives. "What am I an idiot? I was born at night but not…" The four detectives finished her sentence. "Last night." Olivia had not even looked up from her cell as she spoke, something that did not go unnoticed by the young blonde. Jess rolled her eyes. "I spent too much time with you people. I'll make the call. Morales, you in?"

Morales reached for his wallet. "Yeah, totally."

As Olivia read Alex's text message a flush crawled up her neck and stained her face. "Would have loved to take you in the Crib. Or would you have preferred the holding cells downstairs?" The text was hot and made Olivia's thighs sweat. She missed Alex terribly. There had to be a way to work things out. The detective needed more time to figure this out. She texted Alex back, "Out of the two I would choose the Crib for sure. Although let's face it, hand's down an Interview room would be the best." It did not take long but Alex typed back. "We'll make it happen. Bring your cuffs."

Dick Stabler walked through the doors of the squad room and right over to Jess. She stood up and they kissed, in front of everyone. Olivia was still pre-occupied with her cell to notice but everyone else did. Munch let out a low whistle. They stopped the shameless display of affection and he pulled up a chair on the other side of Jess. Dick stayed for lunch and until the call came from Alex's assistant that she was on her way over to Ronald Blaze's apartment.

It had been an informative day for Morales when it came to his protégé. He knew that Olivia Benson was Jess's legal guardian and that the teen was astonishing with computers. That was as much as he knew about her. When Jess had apologized to Benson earlier she had used the name Ally. Morales now took Ally to be A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot; meaning that Benson and Cabot were together this morning, early this morning. Alex had taken the tiny blonde by the hand and led her out of the squad room, solidifying to Morales that Benson and Cabot were in a relationship and that the two seemed to be raising Jess together. He also became aware that Jess was dating Detective Stabler's son. Morales had seen Jess handle herself incredibly professionally. She had a very bright future in Computer Crimes and he planned on telling her so.

**276 9****th**** Avenue, apartment six-thirty**

**Residence of Ronald Blaze**

**Friday August 14****th****, 14:35**

Morales and Jess had ridden over to the apartment in an unmarked sedan with Stabler and Benson. Fin, Munch and Cragen followed then in a different sedan. They pulled up to the curb and Olivia turned to Jess and Morales. "Wait here. We'll get the super to open the door. Once it's clear we'll come out and get you."

The tech looked at the detective. "Please don't touch anything until we get in there. I want to take pictures of any computer equipment this guys has."

Benson and Stabler nodded and got out of the car. They met Fin, Munch and Cragen and walked to the front door of the apartment building. They were met by Alex's assistant who handed them the warrant. Cragen took it from her. "Any exclusions in the apartment we should know about?"

The assistant shook her head. "None. Ms. Cabot said to rip the place apart."

Cragen nodded. "Once we are inside we'll call the CSU in."

They opened the front door and buzzed the superintendant. He answered, met them in the lobby and showed them to Ronald Blaze's apartment. He knocked on the door but there was no answer. The super unlocked the door for the detectives. Stabler opened the door slowly, his gun drawn. The four detectives moved past the super, guns drawn and secured the apartment. Ronald Blaze was not home. Cragen went down and got Morales and Jess out of the sedan. He also radioed for the CSU team to come in.

Morales photographed Blaze's computer setup. Two towers, four external hard-drives and three monitors. Jess's eye lit up at the sight of all the equipment. Morales smiled slightly looked at her. "Excited, Jess?"

She looked from Blaze's setup to her superior. "These people are not stupid. There is enough equipment to run the site from here if they needed to. I'm telling you, somewhere in all that, Blaze has hung himself," she nodded back towards the computer.

The entire SVU squad and their Captain were listening to the tech's conversation. Morales's smile had dissipated; he did not want his protégé getting overzealous. "How do you know that? You said yourself these people are geniuses."

Jess looked back at the setup and walked over to it. Jess had latex gloves on and she ran her hand over the keyboard, which was rubber. "I feel it."

Once the CSU team arrived they dusted the computer equipment for fingerprints first and lifted as many as they could. The computer techs waited; the teen became board and wandered through the apartment. Eventually, Morales, Jess and two members of the CSU team carefully packed up the equipment and hauled it downstairs to a CSU van. Morales and Jess paid their respects to the SVU squad and left in the van with the equipment. They headed back to their office at One Police Plaza to begin analyzing. It was obvious Blaze wasn't running the website from his apartment, his computer was off.

Fin walked into the living room of Ronald Blaze's apartment. "There is nothing in this place to indicate Blaze had anything to do with the kiddy porn site."

Stabler, Cragen and Benson were all in the living room with Fin. Munch walked into the living room from the kitchen. "He's right. This was a bust. Only porn we found was some magazines of big busted ladies, no photos of children anywhere, this guy looks like a normal guy."

Cragen dismissed the last few members of the CSU team. Benson looked around at her fellow detectives. "I agree. The problem is all that computer equipment is expensive and most of it looked less than a year old. How did a guy collecting unemployment buy all that stuff?"

Stabler pointed to the forty-six inch flatscreen on the wall. "Check it out. This television is worth a chunk of change too. Blaze likes his toys. How does he afford this place?"

Cragen joined them. "I'm not sure but we're going to sit on his place until he returns so we can ask him. Once he sees his computers are gone he may tip off other people involved in the website. I want him picked up before he tries to take off."

Benson looked at her watch. It was four-thirty. Jess would be putting in overtime at the office but Alex would be done in court by six. Olivia could still make dinner; that is if she and Elliot did not get stuck with surveillance. Fin watched Olivia look at her watch. She had been preoccupied in the squad room with her cell phone. There was something going on there. He looked at Cragen. "Munch and I will sit on Blaze for now."

Cragen nodded and turned to Olivia and Elliot. "Stabler, Benson go home and get some rest. If Blaze doesn't show by eleven tonight, you're up."

The detectives nodded and everyone left Ronald Blaze's apartment. Cragen, Benson and Stabler went back to the office. Olivia and Elliot retrieved their cars and went home. Munch and Fin locked Blaze's apartment, left the building and sat in their unmarked sedan across the street from the building.

**Computer Crimes**

**One Police Plaza**

**Friday August 14, 19:13**

Jess and Morales were pouring through Donald Blaze's hard drives. They had made it back to One Police Plaza by three-thirty and had been hard at work ever since. Morales noticed Jess had only stopped to eat around six-thirty. The teenager had been hard at work the rest of the time, an ear-bud in her left ear whose other end was attached to her iPhone. Morales went over to her and stood beside her. It took the blonde about a minute but she eventually addressed him, never taking her eyes off the screen in front of her or her fingers off the keyboard. "What's up?"

Morales watched Jess's small fingers move around the keyboard. He had to admit he was enthralled with her abilities and knowledge. "You haven't left your desk in almost four hours. You can go home if you want."

Jess stopped typing and looked up at Morales. "Naw, I want to nail this guy. I'm telling you there is something here, I know it."

Morales looked down at the teenager. "What about Benson? Doesn't she want you at home with her yet?"

The right side of Jess's mouth curled into a half smile. "No…I think she would prefer if I stayed here for awhile."

Morales furrowed his brow. "What would make you say that?"

Jess swiveled her chair to face Morales. "You saw a lot today. At this point you must have figured out that Alex Cabot and Livie are seeing each other. They are having dinner at home tonight and I don't want to disturb them."

The computer tech smiled. "Yeah I got the impression Benson and Cabot where together given your apology this morning and how A.D.A. Cabot took your hand in the squad room. I didn't know you were seeing Stabler's son either."

The young woman's smirk became a full on smile. "Yeah, Dick and I starting dating about two months ago; he is an amazing guy. Look, I want to give Livie and Ally some time alone. Plus I still have this hard drive of Blaze's and one more tower to go through."

Morales sighed. "You can finish the one you are working on now. Then I want you to go home. Benson and Cabot aside, I can't afford to pay you any more overtime today. You will have been on the clock for almost twelve hours pretty soon. We are both leaving at eight."

Jess furrowed her brow. "But…I need to finish this. This guy is good, Morales. He has scrubbing software that goes over files ten times or more. There is something here, I just need more time…"

Morales put up his hands, palms up stopping the teenager. "Twelve hours on the clock Jess, that is the limit. There is always tomorrow. If you don't leaving willingly I'll call Benson."

The blonde rolled her eyes at her superior. "Fine. I'll be in on Saturday morning though."

Morales rolled his eyes. "Noted. You're making breakfast."

A smirk found its way across Jess's face. "Noted."

**Across the street from the Residence of Ronald Blaze**

**Friday August 14****th****, 19:20**

The windows were rolled down in the unmarked sedan and Munch had just come back with coffee in paper cups. As he sat down in the seat he handed Fin his. "I can't thank you enough for volunteering us for this detail."

Fin looked at his partner and took the cup from him. "Look, would you have rather sat here all night?"

Munch closed the car door, settled into the passenger's seat, turned his head and looked over the rim of his dark glasses at Fin. "No one is going to have to sit on this guy tonight. He's going to come home and we are going to have to run him in."

Fin rolled his eyes. "You don't know that. I just didn't wanna be out here all night."

Munch sipped his coffee. "Oh yeah why not? Hot date tonight?"

He nodded his head. "Wouldn't you like to know." He turned his attention to the sidewalk across the street. A tall man in dress pants and button up dress shirt with a laptop bag strung across his body was walking down the street towards the building. Fin nodded towards the male. "That's our boy."

The detectives put their coffee cups in the holders in the console of the sedan. Munch watch Ronald Blaze open the door to his building and walk in. He clicked onto a walkie-talkie. "Our man is inside the building. You guys take the front door and we'll take the fire escape."

There was a patrol car sitting in the alley across from the building. The two uniformed officers got out of the squad car as Fin and Munch left their sedan parked at the curb. Fin looked at the officers as the four of them made their way across the street. "The jig will be up pretty fast. Once you knock he'll probably fly out the fire escape. If he opens the door cuff him and let us in the window."

The uniformed officers nodded at him and disappeared inside the apartment building. Munch and Fin made their way around the side of the building and up the fire escape. Munch looked up at Fin, who was four steps ahead of him on the stairs. "I told you he'd come home."

Ronald Blaze unlocked the door to his apartment and walked inside. He closed the door behind him and locked it. It took him about five seconds to realize his computers and monitors were gone. He was not a stupid man. Blaze knew the police had been trying to shut down the website. With the video of the new star already up the site was getting even more attention than anticipated. Blaze was surprised that the NYPD had been able to obtain a warrant. He had been careful. Steps were in place to make sure this did not happen. A knocked came to the door.

"Ronald Blaze? This is the New York City Police Department. Please open the door so we can talk to you."

Talk my ass, Ronald thought to himself. Not only had they obtained a warrant to seize his computers but they probably had a warrant for his arrest. Fuck that. Blaze moved to his bedroom and opened the window that led to the fire escape. He put his feet out first and slithered the rest of his body out the window. He started down only to be met by Munch; who grabbed him and bent him over the railing, handcuffing him.

"Ronald Blaze, I'm Detective Munch and this is my partner Detective Tutuola. We have some questions for you."

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Residence of Detective Olivia Benson**

**Friday August 14****th****, 19:40**

Alex and Olivia sat at the kitchen table as they finished their dinner. Olivia had cooked, mostly. Alex had helped but had also set the table. The women were having a fabulous time; it was as if nothing had come between them. There were no lights on in the kitchen or living room. Alex had lit the candles on the table and counter. The late evening sun was streaming in through the living room windows from behind buildings.

"You know, Al, it could be like this more of the time. I mean just you and me."

The A.D.A. looked lovingly across the table at the woman she adored. "How do you figure?"

Olivia looked into those sky blue eyes across the table. "Jess could spend more time at the Stablers. She likes it there and they love having her."

Alex raised her right eyebrow. "And you would be comfortable with that? I mean with Jess being away from us?"

The detective looked down for a minute, contemplating what she had said. Hearing Elliot suggest it this morning had made Olivia's heart sink. She had waited so long for the love she felt for Jess, shared with her. It seemed to go against everything she felt not to spend time with the kid. What her partner had said about pushing the mother of his children away had struck a cord with Olivia also. She had never thought of Alex in this way, but it was a valid point. The blonde spent more time with Jess than Olivia did, even though legally Olivia was her guardian. She had waited just as long for the love she had with Alex; the relationship she had with Alex. Olivia knew how it felt to lose Alex; she did not want to live like that again.

The brunette looked up at Alex. "Yes, I would be comfortable with it."

Alex had watched her detective weigh the pros and cons in her head. Olivia was not one to take the subject of Jess lightly. The A.D.A. could tell by the sincerity in her lover's voice that she meant what she said. The brunette's answer surprised Alex. For the first time Olivia was compromising for their relationship. The problem was it was at the expensive of Jess. Alex knew going to the Stabler's wouldn't be a horrible place for Jess to go. She just wasn't sure Jess was ready for a change like this. Olivia saw a shift of emotion on Alex's face.

"Would you be comfortable with it?" Olivia questioned, temporarily thrown off by the look on the blonde's face.

"I'm not sure. Liv, I have wanted to have this discussion for weeks. Hearing this now…I don't know, it just seems wrong somehow. All I want is to spend more time with you, just the two of us. I don't want it to be at the expense of our daughter though."

About four weeks after Brian Nudds was remanded into custody, and Alex had basically moved into Olivia's apartment she, and the detective had started referring to Jess as their daughter. Never directly to the teen and never in front of anyone else; it was a nicety that the two women shared only with each other.

Olivia raised her right eyebrow. "Al, I really don't think it would be like that. I was thinking maybe once a week. Jess is pretty strong and she is doing really well in therapy."

Alex sighed. She knew Olivia was right. "Do you really think Jess is ready? She's going to know we are sending her away in order to be alone. How do you think that will make her feel?"

The detective looked down and sighed. She did not believe Jess was ready and despite her partner's points this morning Olivia knew she would feel horrible knowing that Jess would feel abandoned. She gazed back up at Alex. "I never thought it would be this hard. I cannot choose between you and Jess."

Alex met Olivia's eyes. "How could we know it would become this difficult?" The blonde shook her head. "We are in an impossible situation. I cannot choose between you and Jess either."

Olivia and Alex's cell phones both chirped, indicating text messages. Olivia closed her eyes and sighed. She pushed herself off the chair and walked over to the small table beside the door to her apartment. She picked up both cell phones and walked back to the table. She handed Alex hers and opened the message on her own. It was from Fin.

"We've got Ronald Blaze, heading to the squad."

The detective looked down at the A.D.A. "We're picking our daughter up on the way up to the squad."

Alex gave a half-smile and looked up lovingly. "I'll drive"

Olivia knelt down and kissed Alex passionately. When the kiss ended Olivia stayed in Alex's personal space and gave a gentle smile. "Nothing is impossible. I refuse to give up on us and the family we have created."

The blonde gave an adoring smile. "Detective Benson, eternal optimist."


	3. Chapter 3

Spoiler alert: Do NOT read if you don't wait to know! In the new SVU episode 'Savoir' there is a special guess start from OZ that has quite a scene with Elliot. Also, you will NEVER guess what happens to Olivia at the end of the episode. Epic! I LOVED it! I wonder how long that story arc will go on for. Once you see the episode please feel free to answer that question in the reviews/comments at the bottom. Now on with my story...

**Chapter Three: Growing Pains **

**Manhattan SVU Squad Room**

**Friday August 14****th****, 20:22**

Alex had called Jess before she and Olivia left the apartment. They picked her up outside of One P.P. just before eight on their way to the squad. True to form, the teen had all her essentials; her laptop in its bag slung over her shoulder, her iPhone and a pair of DC shoes on her feet. Jess got into the back of Alex's metallic black BMW X5. It always amazed Jess how much money the A.D.A. had. Well, that and the fact that she would not flaunt it. The younger blonde had priced out the sport utility vehicle that Alex drove. It was worth well over eighty-grand. Most of the time she never drove it, opting to either take a cab or let Olivia drive her black Mustang.

The three women arrived at the squad to find Captain Cragen and Stabler watching Munch and Fin interrogating Ronald Blaze. It was not uncommon for a Captain, detectives or an A.D.A. to view an interrogation through the two-way mirror. It was not common practice to let a minor watch one, although somehow over the last three months Jess had managed to finagle her way to the front of the glass; normally beside Captain Cragen. It never ceased to amaze Olivia what Jess could charm her way into or out of depending on what she wanted the outcome of a situation to be. The detective turned her attention to the three men on the other side of the mirror.

Fin was playing good-cop tonight. He was sitting on one side of the metal table. "Ronald we got your computers, man. It's not lookin' good for you."

Ronald Blaze was on the other side of the metal table, staring down at it. He looked up at Fin. "I have nothing to hide. I haven't done anything illegal."

Munch was standing beside Blaze. He leaned down until he was a couple of inches from Blaze's face. "You don't think kiddy porn is illegal?!"

Blaze did not flinch, not at the tone or sheer volume of Munch's voice. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Munch opened the file folder that was sitting on the table, between the suspect and his partner. The detective spilled out pictures they had taken off the website of the six young boys. Munch spread the pictures out in front of Blaze. "Look at these! You don't think you have done anything wrong, huh? These are children; poor defenseless little boys. But I guess that's how you like them isn't it you demented fuck!"

Blaze looked down at the pictures and then back at Munch, devoid of emotion. "I've never seen those boys before in my life."

Fin looked up at his partner. "Calm down man, Ronald here says he doesn't know those kids." He looked from Munch to Blaze. "See the problem Ronald is that we took these pictures off a website and we know you're connection to the site."

Ronald looked at Fin. "I have no connection to any website with those children."

Munch pushed off the desk heavily. "You are going down Blaze. We have your computers, your hard drives, everything we need to connect you!"

Fin stood up and walked over to Munch. "Maybe you should leave for a minute partner, get some air."

"You're probably right. I can't stand to be in the same room with this sick fuck!"

Munch stormed over to the door opened it, walked through it and slammed it behind himself. Fin sat back down and made eye contact with Blaze. "Sorry, my partner is having a bad day. He's right though, we have all your equipment man. It's only a matter of time before we hit the jackpot. If you come clean now we can help you. If you don't…well you take your chances with twelve members of the general public."

"I think I'll take my chances."

Fin shook his head. "That's not smart Ronald. You better think about this. The general public ain't that bright. I mean come on; you think John Q. Public is as smart as you?"

Blaze shook his head. "Probably not."

Fin cocked his head to the right. "See man, I knew you were bright. Look you really want twelve inferior people deciding your fate?"

Blaze said nothing. Fin continued. "Ronald you know what the general public hates? Jury duty. They gotta take off work, find daycare for their kids, and blow off lunch dates. They think it's the worst man."

Ronald sucked in his bottom lip slightly, contemplating what Fin was saying to him.

"Honestly, how sympathetic do you think twelve pissed-off people are going to be towards you?"

Blaze leaned forward and put his hands on the table in front of him. "You know what detective, you're right. The general public are a bunch of raging lunatics. The thing is though I have nothing to hide. I have nothing to do with any kiddy porn website and my computers are clean. Now, can I please go home?"

Fin had done all he could do. There was nothing left to say. He and John needed to re-group. Fin stood up, collected the pictures, put them back in the folder, turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Once inside the observation room he looked at all four detectives, his Captain and their A.D.A. "Well?"

Elliot looked at Fin. "I'll take a run at him. Liv, you in?"

Olivia looked from Fin to her partner. "Absolutely." Elliot met her eyes as she nodded. "You want to be good cop this time or bad?"

Stabler salivated slightly. He looked like he was about to sit down to a steak dinner as he rolled up his sleeves. "Oh, like you have to ask? Come on let's get this animal."

Cragen held up his hands at the two detectives. "Hold on, this guy is smart."

Benson looked at the Captain and quipped in a sarcastic tone. "Gee, thanks for the confidence Cap."

The Captain shook his head. "That's not what I meant." He tuned to Jess and she met his eyes. "We seized a laptop and external hard drive from Blaze when we brought him in for questioning. How much of his equipment did you and Morales get through today?"

Jess sucked in some air. Captain Cragen had never asked anything of her before. He had not needed to, she usually did grunt work for Morales. She had never been this deep in a case before. "We got through everything but one external hard drive and one computer tower, which are on the top of the docket for the morning. We were on the clock twelve straight hours today; Morales had to send me packing."

Cragen looked down at the young woman. "Did you find anything on the computers and external hard drives you went through?"

The teenager sighed slightly. "Honestly no. This guy", she nodded her head towards the glass she was standing in front of, "Ronald Blaze is good. I don't mean he hacks on weekends or is trying to defraud the elderly out of their retirement nest egg. I mean this perp is hiding something big. He has industrial strength firewalls up to keep other hackers out. The type used by high levels of government or military. Blaze also has high-grade scrubbing software installed on every hard drive to keep anyone who might actually be able to get through the firewalls and seize documents from ever fully recovering them. You're right Captain, he's smart."

The Captain looked down; when he looked back up he folded his arms across his chest and looked directly at Jess. "We're not going to get anything off that last hard drive or the computer are we O'Malley?"

Jess met Cragen's eyes and showed no fear. "Probably not."

The four detectives and the A.D.A. watched in silence as the Captain went hard at the young woman. Jess played the role of an adult well, but this was not a game and she needed to learn that. "Then how do you suggest we proceed O'Malley?"

The young blonde turned and looked through the glass at Ronald Blaze. He was probably five ten or eleven. He had a slender build; his hair was shoulder length and dark brown. Thinking back to his apartment she had seen a lot of comic books, masculine furniture and many electronic toys. The place had been immaculate when they walked in and there were no photos of women, aside from some tittie magazines in the bedroom. Ronald Blaze was a bonafide nerd. It takes one to know one and Jess was very much a nerd. She turned back to Cragen. "Send Stabler and Benson in, with a prop."

Olivia and Elliot exchanged looks. Jess had never called either one of them that before. Alex could only image what was going through the younger blonde's head. She was a little fish in an ocean right now; it would be interesting to see if she survived. Cragen was willing to give Jess some lead way with this. She had witnessed countless interrogations over the last three months, she was highly intuitive and he was out of options. "I'm willing to hear you out on this O'Malley. You put us in this jackpot, get us out."

Jess inhaled and the breath caught in her throat for just a second before she spoke. "Ronald Blaze is a nerd. I used the old 'it takes one to know one' approach to deducing that. He loves his comic books, electronic toys and tittie mags."

Munch jumped in. "I love all those things too. What does that make me?"

Fin could not resist as he shook his head. "Sad man, that makes you sad."

Jess turned her head and smiled at them. "Fin's right. However I surmise your apartment is a mess, newspaper clippings all over the walls and conspiracy theory books over any flat surface. Blaze's place was spotless, I mean 'Sleeping with the Enemy' guy spotless."

Elliot looked at Jess. "'Sleeping with the Enemy' guy? What does that mean?"

Jess shook her head as she looked at him. "The husband from that movie. He had to have the hand towels just so in the bathroom and all the can's had to be labels out in the kitchen cupboards. It was a compulsion." Jess turned back to the Captain. "Blaze likes things to be neat. Stabler should go in and mess things up. It will screw with Blaze and knock him off balance."

Olivia was surprised Jess had made the connections from the apartment to the man sitting before them. "While Stabler is in there messing things up, what am I doing?"

She would not give Olivia the satisfaction of breaking into a smile as she turned to meet her deep brown eyes. However the teen knew her quasi mother was not impressed. Nor was she going to be when she heard the answer. Everyone in the room took a slight step back in order to watch the young blonde and the skilled brunette square off; a fact that did not go unnoticed by either woman. "You? Well Benson, you have the most important job of all. Nerds, and I speak from experience, find certain qualities or attributes in a mate very appealing. I don't mean we just wish these attributes I mean we seek them out, obsess over them. Never underestimate the power of a nerd's desire. We will do or say pretty much anything to even be in the presence of someone that has what we like. If we find someone and can actually get him or her to talk to us we will put them on a pedestal. I hope you like heights."

Olivia crossed her arms and looked into the hazel eyes that were now dancing from holding in what she could only guess was a shit-eating grin. "You have got to be kidding me! You want me to go in there and flirt with him?"

The young woman stepped closer to Olivia. "You have what he wants." Jess looked Olivia up and down. "You did not bring the right prop though."

Elliot could not resist. He was no longer in punching distance of his partner so he opened his big mouth. "I gotta know, what is the prop?"

Jess slid her gaze over to Elliot on her right and then Alex on her left. The older blonde had come packing the right prop. "Alex's shirt."

Olivia shook her head. She had had enough. The brunette had played the heavy with Jess for the last three months but this was going to break her heart. "What the hell is the matter with you?!" The brunette and the blonde locked eyes. "Jessica, this isn't a game. You can't fuck around here, there are six little boys out there being sexually assaulted and that bastard in there knows where they are. How can you play your little games here when you've seen the videos on the website?"

It was hard for Jess to gauge the situation crumbling before her. Everyone was having trouble with it. She had to learn the magnitude of what this squad did. She was only sixteen but it was a lesson that needed to be learned and fast. Olivia had never lost her patience with Jess before, and had not called her Jessica since the first night the pair had met. The teen squinted slightly at the mention of her full name. "I know this isn't a game! I saw those videos; they make me sick!" Jess's tone became just above a whisper and her eyes went emotionless. "I see those little boys in my dreams" she narrowed her eyes at Olivia again, anger boiling over in them…"you think I'm fucking around here?! I'm not, Olivia! If you and El step in there and he messes up Blaze's hair, shouts at him, kicks his chair it will rattle him. If you sit there and play the ingénue with Alex's shirt on it will rattle him too, but in a different way. Politely ask El to leave and then you talk to Blaze. He won't be able to take his eyes off you in that shirt."

It was time for Alex to weigh in. Her lover and their daughter had just done ten rounds in front of the entire squad. "What is the significance of my shirt? Why can't Olivia just wear what she has on?"

Jess closed her eyes and sighed, trying to regain control of herself. She opened her eyes and stepped back, out of Olivia's personal space. Jess addressed everyone in the room. "The significance of your shirt is that it is fitted and button down; Liv's isn't. If she puts on your shirt, walks in there with at least two buttons undone Blaze will only be looking at two things. Nerds like very specific things in a mate; I did not say they were sophisticated things. All of Blaze's porno mags where of large breasted women; that's his niche. He's like the husband in that movie he can't help himself. Benson and Stabler go in there. Stabler plays the heavy and rattles Blaze. Benson plays the sexy ingénue and sweet-talks him. I'm telling you this hump will sing given the right circumstance. He is the key to the website. I got this squad jacked up and this is how I'm going to get you out."

Olivia crossed her arms over her chest. Cragen uncrossed his. "You make a good case. Stabler, Benson get in there and sell it."

Olivia shot her Captain a look. "You can't be serious."

Cragen looked at her. "As serious as a heart attack. You and Stabler have done this routine before, I've seen it. O'Malley made some good points; I think we should listen to them. Alex would you mind switching shirts with Olivia?"

Alex was not sure what to say. If she agreed to switch shirts Olivia might never forgive her. If she disagreed Jess might never forgive her. Either way she was fucked. "I guess not."

Olivia shot her a look but the two women left the room for the locker room. Fin walked over to Jess and looked down at her. "You know what you're doing?"

Jess was not about to roll over and play dead yet. Bravado, false or not went a long way in life. "Totally."

Fin tilted his head to the right. "I believe you."

The two women returned and had swapped tops. Alex's shirt was about a size and a half too small on the detective. Alex had roughly two inches on the detective but Olivia had muscles over height when it came to the A.D.A. The shirt was too tight, in all the right places. The four men in the observation room lapped it up. Jess and Olivia locked eyes, the deep brown orbs where filled with anger towards the tiny blonde. The detective had no doubt that this would be a disaster. The now dark green eyes were filled with regret for putting the woman that cared for her so much on display, that and disappointment. Not only did Olivia not believe in Jess but also was under the impression that the teenager was not taking this case seriously; that Jess was somehow unaffected by the enormity of the case and its young victims. Without breaking their eye contact Jess spoke. "Gentlemen, stop drooling, it's unprofessional."

Olivia squinted slightly at Jess and hissed. "Oh right, and this is the epitome of professionalism."

Jess shuddered slightly as she swallowed. The comment had cut at her heart but she remained silent, just taking it. What could she say? Elliot stepped towards Olivia and said quietly. "Come one, let's squeeze this guy." The partners stepped towards the door, opened it and walked through, closing it behind themselves. Jess let out a breath she had been holding in. She turned to the glass and watched. The detectives, their Captain and their A.D.A. turned and peered into the interrogation room. In the reflection of the glass Alex could see the emptiness etched across Jess's face and the pain in her eyes, the kid's heart had broken.

Olivia sat down where Fin had been minutes earlier. Elliot opted to stand by the caged window. Olivia crossed her legs and smiled at Blaze. "Ronald Blaze, I'm Detective Olivia Benson and this is my partner Detective Stabler."

Blaze looked at Olivia. She was beautiful and had a great set of tits. He eyed them through the shirt she was wearing. He followed them up to where they stuck out of her bra and the shirt that was too small for her. "Please, call me Ron."

Elliot turned to Blaze. "Well Ron, we have some questions about your computers."

Stabler's voice shook Blaze out of his trance. He looked at the detective. "I said Olivia could call me Ron. You Detective Stabler can call me Ronald."

Elliot walked quickly over to Blaze. He put his left hand on the back of the chair Ronald was sitting in and his right hand on the table in front of him. "I'll call you what ever the fuck I want." He seethed. "Now, what is with all the firewalls and scrubbing software on those hard drives?"

Olivia was impressed. For a guy who hand not been able to follow the lingo earlier today her partner had managed to school himself enough to ask the correct questions tonight. Blaze looked at Elliot. "What about them?"

Elliot smacked the back of Blaze's head with his left hand. "Come on Ronny! What are you, stupid? 'What about them?'" Elliot mocked. "Why would you have that kind of software?"

Blaze had been caught off-guard by the smack to the back of the head Stabler had thrown him. He had actually jerked in the chair from the force. "Protection."

Stabler looked from Blaze to his partner. "Protection? Do you believe this guy?" Elliot pointed to Blaze with the index finger of his left hand.

Olivia looked sympathetically at Blaze. "You can never be too careful these days."

Ronald looked at her. "That is so true."

Elliot ruffled Blaze's hair with his right hand. "Awww…Ronny what is there to be scared of man?"

Blaze ducked and moved out of Elliot's reach. "I told you to call me Ronald. For your information Detective Stabler, there are countless predators out there just waiting for you to be stupid enough to let your guard down. Than bam, they hack your computer and have your identity."

Benson looked fondly at Blaze. "Stabler, Ron is right you know. I had my identity stolen last year. It was awful. I had to cancel my credit cards and get a new drivers license."

Ronald smiled at Olivia. "I'm so sorry that happened to you. You should invest in some really good firewalls. I could recommend some if…"

He was interrupted by Stabler who kicked the chair Blaze was sitting in with so much force it nearly knocked him and the chair completely over. Elliot grabbed Blaze by the collar of his shirt. "The only predator I'm worried about is you! Your computer is locked up tighter than a nun's snatch. The only people that are that paranoid are people that have something to hide. What are you hiding Ronny!?"

Blaze stuttered as he spoke. "I'm…I'm not hiding anything. Olivia make him stop!"

"Listen to yourself Ronny. You're begging for a woman to help you. Stand up and be a man! What do you know about the kiddy porn website!?"

Blaze's voice broke as he spoke. "Nothing, I don't know anything about a website."

The crack in Blaze's voice indicated to Olivia that he was sufficiently out of his comfort zone. Elliot had spooked him. It was time for her to step in. "Stabler! Let him go."

Elliot relinquished his grip on Blaze's collar and Ronald slumped back into the chair. Olivia caught Blaze's gaze as she spoke. "Stabler I think you should leave. Get a coffee or something. Ron would you like something to drink?"

Ronald straightened his shirt. "Yes thank you. I would like a diet Coke, not regular but diet."

Stabler shook his head tuned and left the room, slamming the door behind him. Olivia continued to look at Blaze. "I'm so sorry. My partner can be a tad overzealous at times. Are you okay?"

Blaze looked back at Olivia. "Oh I'm fine. He doesn't scare me."

Olivia shifted slightly in the chair and crossed her legs the other way. "I bet it takes a lot to scare a man like you huh Ron?"

Ronald gave her a half smile. "Well, I don't want to brag. Listen I can suggest some really good firewalls for you. I don't want anyone stealing you identity again."

Benson winked at Blaze. "Thanks Ron, I really appreciate that. I feel better knowing that you are looking out for me."

Blaze enjoyed the wink, to the point where he blushed slightly and looked down at the table.

Olivia spoke smoothly to Blaze. "You know Ron I don't think we are that different. I really like your apartment. Chelsea is a really great area to live in. I've always wanted to move there."

Ronald looked up at Olivia but his eyes only made it as far as her breasts. "Why don't you live in the area then?"

Benson could tell Blaze was losing control over himself at this point. "I can't afford the rent. But you, Ron you seem to have it all together."

Blaze smiled. It was hard to tell if it was because of the compliment or because Olivia had sighed after the sentence causing her chest to rise and fall. "I like my job and I get paid very well for it."

Olivia continued to play into the fantasy. "Really? That's such a nice thing to hear these days. What do you do for a living?"

Ronald was almost in a trance as he spoke. "I maintain a website for an old friend of mine."

This was it. Olivia had him and she knew she could keep him. She pushed her arms together as she squealed slightly in false excitement. This caused her breasts to lift, push together and almost fall out of her bra, and Alex's shirt. "Ooooo…really? What is your friend's name? Maybe we could all meet up for a drink sometime?"

Blaze was mesmerized by the heaving mounds. They were perfect, better than the ones in the magazines he had at home. "Markus, Markus Pharaoh. We've been friends since high school."

Benson knew there was only so far she could go. If she got him to confess too much else it would never be admissible in court. He had not been morandized and she would not be able to pull that off. A friend would not advise you of your rights, and Ronald considered her a friend at this point. "What kind of a website do you work on for Markus?"

Something snapped inside of Blaze and he looked from Olivia's breasts to her eyes. "What?"

"I just wanted to hear more about your job Ron. What you do for Markus."

Blaze furrowed his brow. "What is going on here? What is happening?"

It was the end of the line. Benson had extracted all the information she could out of Blaze. It was debatable whether or not he could actually be charged with anything. Olivia smiled at Blaze. "Thanks Ronny, you've been a big help." The detective stood up turned and walked towards the door.

Blaze was furious; he slammed his fists down on the desk. "What is happening? You can't leave me here! I want to go home!" Benson opened the door, walked through it and slammed it behind her.

Olivia was met with five pair of eyes. There was one pair missing. Olivia sighed and looked at Alex. "Can we charge him?"

Alex shrugged. "With what? So far all we know is that Blaze was sending and receiving emails from an unknown source. It appears the communication was hidden among java script used to hide the streaming origin of a child pornography website."

Cragen looked at Cabot. "That has to count for something Alex. I mean come on, how could he have been doing that unless he was aware of what he was doing? He was able to hide the communication in the java because he was creating the java. If he was creating it it stands to reason that he knew what the website was producing."

Alex stood straighter to address the Captain. "I can't make a case on reason. I have to make it on fact. The I.P. addresses and email traces were enough for a warrant to search and seize. It is not enough to charge Blaze, never mind convict him. Don, this would not get past a Grand Jury and you know it. There are no facts here."

Munch looked at Alex from over top of his glasses. "He gave us the name Markus Pharaoh. We'll start there."

Alex nodded to him and made eye contact with the rest of the squad. "Call me when you have something."

Elliot ran his hand over his mouth and sighed. "What do you want us to do with him?" He nodded to the glass and the man on the other side of it.

Cabot looked at Ronald Blaze. "You can hold him for twenty-four hours without charging him. After that you have to cut him loose. I suggest you get as much as you can on Blaze and Pharaoh before you let Blaze go."

Cragen addressed his squad. "Alright people it's going to be a long night. I want Markus Pharaoh's name run through every possible search. Start local with the usual suspects. If that yields nothing we'll cast a wider net."

The men left the room and went to their desks, leaving Olivia and Alex in the observation room. Olivia closed the door leading to the squad room and the women changed shirts. The detective looked at Alex. "When did she leave?"

Alex looked coldly at Olivia. "After Blaze gave up the name."

Benson knew Alex would be livid with how things had played out between her and the teen. "You mean after I practically tit slapped that scumbag?"

Alex let go of the buttons she was fastening and shook her head at the detective. "You've tit slapped plenty of suspects before. It is a tactic Liv and you know it. I've seen both you and Elliot take a lot more liberties than that before. 'It's all in the name of getting the confession' is what the two of you always use to say to me. So what is really bothering you? Is it that you did not believe in Jess and it turned out that by using her tactics you have the second solid name in this case? Or is it that you called her Jessica and you know Brian Nudds called her that? That takes her back to that night in the diner every time someone refers to her by her full name?'

Olivia was angry with herself. She had lost control with Jess earlier and she had to make it right with the kid. The detective looked down, unable to meet Alex's eyes. "Both."

The blonde said nothing as she finished with the buttons. She walked over to Olivia and hugged her. "Then tell her that. Liv, you scared her. You are her guardian; God only knows what is going through her mind right now." Alex whispered in her ear.

Olivia started to cry. "I know. I really fucked up. I have never rejected her, ever. Jesus, Jess must think she is going back to Foster Care."

Alex held the woman she loved tighter. "She might think that yes. You have to show her that no matter what happens between the two of you that you will never give her up."

Olivia pushed off Alex gently. "Do you know where she went?"

The blonde shook her head. "No, but I know it won't take you long to figure it out."

The brunette nodded. "Will you stay for a few minutes and take her home for me. I have to stay here."

Alex gave a half smile and nodded. Olivia turned and opened the door to the squad room. The women stepped out and walked over to Olivia's desk. Alex sat down in the detective's chair. Olivia walked over to the staircase and mounted the stairs to the crib. She opened the door, stepped inside and closed it behind her. She cleared her throat. "Jessie, I am so sorry for what I said down there. I did not mean any…"

"Where is Ally?" Jess said cutting her off.

Olivia walked over to the cot the blonde was laying on, her back to Olivia. The detective could tell by the tone of Jess's voice she had been crying. "She is downstairs."

Jess sat up, stood up and turned to face Olivia. The young blonde's tone was one of defeat. "Then that's where I'll be."

The detective shook her head. "No, Jess please listen to me. I am sorry. You were right and I was wrong, so wrong. I should have never doubt…"

Jess looked into Olivia's eyes. "I'll pack my stuff tonight. In the morning I'll call Sharon Wilkinson and have her pick me up. You tried your best Livie, I know you did. I'm damaged and we both know it. I'm sorry. I love you and I feel sick about what I did to you. I'm sorry; I'm just so sorry Livie. I never mean to do that to you…I so sorry…"

Olivia was stunned. Her jaw fell open slightly and her eyes widened as she saw emptiness and genuine sorrow in the dark green eyes looking up at her. "Jessie, what are you talking about? You are not calling Wilkinson; you are not going to a group home. You are going home, to our place."

The teenager was losing her grip. "How can you want me at your place? How can you even look at me?"

The detective was lost. "Jessie, I don't understand. Why wouldn't I want to look at you?"

Jess lost complete control. "I pimped you out! I made you wear that shirt. I knew he would look at you the way he did." Jess shuttered and put her hand over her mouth. "I sent you in there to be sexually assaulted. Why would I do that? How could I do that to you? I love you and I pimped you out! Oh God…" Jess's tone turned into a whisperer. "I am so sorry Livie. I'll go…I'll go tonight."

Olivia pulled the child towards her and Jess fell into her arms. The blonde could not stop herself; she continued to repeat the words. "I'm sorry"

The detective rubbed Jess's back and cooed to the young woman. "Jess, listen to me. You did not pimp me out. That is not what happened down there. Flirting is a tactic that we use all the time; you have seen me do it in countless interrogations. Elliot uses it on women and I use it on men. We see it the same way we see roughing a suspect up or playing mind games with them. You did not do anything wrong. I did. I should never have spoken to you the way that I did. It scares me that you see as much as you do. I thought letting you work in Computer Crimes would get you out of the squad room. You were spending too much time here; seeing too many deplorable things. You deserve better than that, to be shielded from these hanus situations and people. Now you are right back in it and knee deep. Watching you read Blaze, seeing you make all the connections and then having you set up the interrogation it made everything so real to me. I fucked up Jess. I'm screwing you up, I'm putting you in danger by letting you see what you have. It is going to do irrepairable damage to you and I can't…'

Jess put her arms around Olivia for the first time and clutched the back of her shirt. "You are not putting me in danger. I like being here. I miss the squad. I like watching the interrogations and listening to you guys run your cases. I won't come around anymore. I will quit Computer Crimes. I will do whatever you tell me too, I swear. Livie, please…please don't send me back to the group home. I don't want to go back there…I don't want you to leave me. I'll be good, I swear."

The brunette held the begging child in her arms tighter. "You are not going anywhere. Jessie, I will never let you go, ever. No matter what you do or say I will never give up on you. You have to believe me; I will never give you up."

Jess let out a sigh of relief. "You are the only one that understands me. I need you, Livie."

The detective kissed the top of Jess's head. "I need you, too."

Alex took Jess home and the detectives went to work. They stashed Ronald Blaze in the crib for the night, with two uniformed officers with him at all times. Search after search was conducted and yielded little in the way of information. The detectives called it quits at two in the morning. They would re-group in the morning around eight.

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Residence of Detective Olivia Benson**

**Saturday August 15****th****, 06:30**

Alex woke to her detective lying beside her. The blonde's gaze went from Olivia's head on her chest, to the brunette's right arm draped over the blonde's flat stomach and then finally to the older woman's right thigh draped over her own right thigh. Olivia Benson was the sexiest woman she had ever met. Alex raised her right arm and stroked the chestnut coloured hair on Olivia's head. After four strokes the detective stirred. After the fifth stroke the brunette flexed her hand over the blonde's stomach and grabbed her side, pulling their bodies even closer together. With the sixth stroke Olivia spoke. "I love the way you smell."

A small giggle escaped Alex's mouth. "What exactly do I smell like?"

Olivia inhaled deeply and exhaled as she spoke. "Like vanilla and heaven."

The blonde smiled lazily. It was moments like this that she would miss the most. She stopped stroking Olivia's hair and started to lightly trace erratic patterns on her back with her index finger. Alex ran her finger down the detective's spine, making her giggle and jolt at the sensation. "Do you know what you smell like?"

The detective's trademark crooked smile appeared on her face as she opened her eyes and looked up at the A.D.A. "Sweat, the squad room and coffee?"

Alex smiled back. "That and…nirvana."

Olivia pushed herself up on her left elbow, bent down and kissed her lover. The women became an entangled mess. Olivia on top then Alex on top. The blonde broke the kiss first. "We don't have enough time to play right now. It's six-thirty; you have to be at work for eight."

The brunette sighed. "You're right. Counselor, I do reserve the right to pick this up right here at a later time."

Alex laughed and nodded her head. "Your request is officially on record."

Olivia laughed and pushed off the bed. She dressed in a robe and went out to grab the paper from Jess in the kitchen. As she walked down the hall in her bare feet she noticed that Jess's bedroom door was closed, something that almost never happened. When Olivia made it to the kitchen there was no music, no paper and no Jess. The detective walked across the living room and over to the door. She unlocked it, opened it and looked down. The New York Times stared up at her. Olivia furrowed her brow as she bent down and picked it up. As she closed the door and locked it again it occurred to the detective that Jess almost never slept passed seven in the morning. Olivia eyes darted from the front page of the paper to the shoes lined up by the door. Jess had four pairs of shoes, all DC skate shoes and a pair of sandals. The kid had only come to her with two pairs of DC's but had somehow managed to acquire the rest in a short period of time. There were always four pairs of DC's lined up at the door when Jess was home, this morning there were only three. FUCK!

Olivia ran from the door of her apartment to Jess's room and threw the door open. The teen was pretty anal when it came to being neat. Olivia's apartment had never been so organized before. Aside from a ridiculous amount of Post-It notes lining most of her computer monitors and desk, Jess's room was immaculate. The child's bed was made, dirty clothing was in the laundry basket and clean clothing was in the dresser or closet. There were three key things missing from Jess's room, a cell phone, a laptop and Jess. FUCK! Olivia stormed out of the room and into her own. She stomped right over to the bedside table, ripped open the drawer, her service weapon hitting the front of the drawer and yanked her cell phone out. Alex looked up at her wide-eyed. "What's wrong?"

The detective was seething. She shot Alex a look after she had scrolled through her 'recently called' numbers and hit 'talk'. "Our daughter is in the wind!" she said through clenched teeth.

Alex sat straight up in bed. "I thought you talked to her last night?" The A.D.A. shot out of bed and was trying to find clothing on the floor to put on. "Why would she go to the group home?! You assured her you would never send her back there, why would she leave us?" She asked panic stricken.

Olivia was about to answer Alex when Jess's voicemail clicked on; she waited for the beep and tried to hide her anger. "Jess, you know who this is. Call me back, I mean it call. If you text me or Ally we will take your iPhone away from you." It was a harsh threat considering Jess had paid for her iPhone. Olivia had to lighten the message somehow. She had scared the kid pretty badly the night before and still felt overwhelmingly guilty about it. "P.S. next time leave a note." The brunette hit the 'end' button on the phone and looked at Alex, who had one leg in a pair of jeans…and no panties on. "Jess isn't going to the group home. I'll lay odds she's on the subway headed for One P.P."

The counselor sighed and smiled. She had to hand it to Olivia. She knew their daughter inside and out. "She is obsessed with this case. I mean seriously she is consumed by it."

Olivia shook her head and shot Alex a sideways look as she spoke, sarcasm dripping from her words. "Yeah, I wonder where she gets that kind of drive from."

Alex laughed out loud. "It is amazing how much she sees and picks up."

The detective's laughter subsided. "I know what you mean." She looked lovingly at Alex. "Jess has picked up your composure and vocabulary. Did you see her yesterday?"

Alex met Olivia's warm eyes with her own. "I did, and I was proud. She has picked up your attitude and instinct. You have to admit she ran that interogation well. Apparently you have picked up her vocabulary. P.S.?"

Olivia smiled as her eyes moved down the absolutely perfect alabaster body of the woman she loved. "Sweetheart, where were you going in those jeans with no panties?"

The blonde shot Olivia an eat-shit grin. "P.S. You're a bitch"

After that comment Olivia lunged for Alex and missed by an inch. Alex yelped with a smile on her face and ran, as best she could considering one leg was still in the jeans, around the bed. Olivia pounced on her and the pair fell onto the bed, the brunette on top. "We may not have a lotta time to play this morning…but I want to taste vanilla."

**One Police Plaza**

**Computer Crimes**

**Saturday August 15****th****, 07:35 **

Jess had called Olivia once she had reached her desk and looked at her phone. She thought she was in trouble until Livie had come out with the P.S. part in the message. It had actually made Jess smile. She had an ear bud in her left ear; the other was dangling down the front of her. The blonde was listening to house music from her iPhone as she piled through Ronald Blaze's second tower. There had to be something here; she knew it.

Morales strode through the door about twenty minutes after Jess arrived. It felt bizarre to him having an assistant. Jess really wasn't his assistant. For the purposes of her being able to work in Computer Crimes that was what he and Jess had to agree to with Detective Benson. While Jess did report to Morales so did a bunch of other techs. He did keep an eye on her and gave her work to do. This case was the first time he was really seeing what she was capable of and he was impressed. Without looking up or stopping her fingers on the keyboard Jess addressed Morales. "Bagel, eggs and home fries are in a container in the fridge. Just heat them in the toaster oven."

Morales smiled. "Thanks. Does Benson or…uhh…Cabot know that you are here this early?"

It was the first time Morales had mentioned Alex as any part of Jess's life, and the blonde thought it was funny. Funny to the point that it stopped her dead in her tracks, she looked up from the computer monitor at Morales and smiled. "Yes, they both do. I called Livie once I got here and she put Ally on so I could speak with her, too. Is it weird to you that they are together?"

Morales smiled slightly at the thought of those specific women waking up together this morning. No he did not think it was weird. Hot…yes…weird…no. He shook his head absentmindedly. "No I don't think it's weird. I had just never clued in until yesterday."

An evil grin played across Jess's face. She knew this look; she had seen it before on a few familiar faces. "You're thinking about them together aren't you?"

The slight smile disappeared from Morales's face as a red hue took over. "No!"

"It's okay Morales. I think most men that know them think about them together. I won't tell, I swear."

Morales sighed and said sheepishly. "Thanks. You want to take a break from that for a minute?"

Jess shrugged. "Sure what's up?"

The tech smiled at the teenager. "How much do you know about GPS?"

The blonde gave a half smile. "The United States military developed the Global Positioning System. It is the only global navigation satellite system in the world, can be used pretty much by anyone, anywhere on earth. You can go down to your local Best Buy and purchase a GPS device for less than a hundred bucks these days."

Morales rolled his eyes as he grinned at the blonde. "Is there anything you don't know?"

The teenager shrugged. "Tons. What's with GPS?"

"Come take a look at this."

Morales walked over to a cabinet, Jess stood up and walked toward him. He opened the cabinet and took out a small box. Morales placed the box on the counter underneath the cabinet. He looked at Jess. "Open the box."

While holding the box in her left hand Jess ran her right hand over the top of the box before opening it cautiously. "Worms aren't going to crawl out of this are they?"

This garnered a chuckle from her superior. "Naw"

With the top off the box Jess peered inside. With her right hand she picked out one of two small identical metallic disks. She held it between her thumb and index finger. "Let me guess, watch battery?"

Morales shook his head. "Nope, GPS tracking device."

The young woman was bewildered. "No way! It's so small. You could put this anywhere."

Morales looked at Jess sideways. "That is sort of the point."

Jess gave the Morales an eye roll. "Very funny. How do you track this?"

A half smile appeared on Morales's face. "With this program." He turned and walked towards his laptop and Jess followed. Morales opened the program and showed Jess how to use it. The kid was hooked. "Can I install the program on my laptop and test it out?"

Morales squinted his eyes as he looked at Jess. "This is expensive stuff Jess, they are not a toy."

The blonde looked up at Morales. "If I get something good from Blaze's laptop or external hard drive that was seized last night when they picked him up can I borrow the GPS equipment?"

The tech looked down at Jess. "If you break this case you can borrow the equipment for two days, that's it. There is one catch to using this stuff. The small disk that is the tracking device has to be linked to the program on the laptop before it is planted. If you link the disk to your laptop it can only be tracked using your laptop. It's pretty high grade stuff, that's why we only have two."

Jess smiled from ear to ear. "Sweet!" She put the small device back in the box and handed it to Morales. He put it back in the cabinet and went to heat up the breakfast Jess had made him. Jess went back to her desk and Blaze's computer.

It may have consumed her all night, to the point where sleep was never going to come. It may have consumed her this morning when she gave up trying to sleep and got up, cooked breakfast, showered and left for work at six-thirty in the morning. She'd be damned if she let Ronald Blaze win. Lucky for Jess hell wasn't looking for her today. Hidden expertly in a file were files upon files of saved data about the child pornography website. It was as if Blaze had backed up his java script in this file. Dumb Ass. Jess uncovered as much as she could before becoming so antsy she had to stand up.

Morales had heard Jess's typing pick up about twenty minutes earlier. He estimated that she normally type roughly one hundred and seventy words per minute. In the last twenty minutes he figured the number had risen to about two hundred. The teenager was notorious for listening to house music for hours while running searches or decoding files and never moving. When she had shot up out of her chair it had made Morales jump. "What the hell is going on?"

Jess started to dance to the music in her left ear. "I told you people! I told you! Oh yeah! That's right! EAT IT, Blaze!" Jess stuck both her middle fingers up at the computer screen.

The young woman was witty, cunning and for the most part unbelievably composed at work. Morales laughed out loud. "What did you get?!"

Jess looked at Morales, a grin plastered across her face. "I got him Morales. We got this motherfucker dead to rights!" The tech could not help himself. He got up out of his chair and bolted to Jess's desk, where she had one of Ronald Blaze's external hard drives and monitors hooked up to one of the towers. It took a minute for him to take in the many files Jess had decoded. He was blown away. "This is it. It's all here."

The blonde had stopped dancing and was now standing beside Morales. "The dumb ass backed-up the work he did on the website on this hard drive. He hid it well, but it's all there."

Morales looked sideways at Jess. "In black and white, kid. You did it. Better call Benson and Stabler. They are going to want to see this."

Calling Olivia and Elliot was protocol but Jess felt she had jammed the SVU squad up enough this week. She thought it best to call Alex first and make sure that the backed-up files were enough to charge Blaze.

**Manhattan's SVU Squad Room**

**Saturday August 15****th****, 11:26**

Alex had left Olivia's apartment the same time as the detective had. She had driven across to Central Park West to her own place, grabbed her gym clothing and had hit the gym for two hours. Alex had been finished at the gym around eleven o'clock. She called Olivia and asked her out for an early lunch date; the detective obliged the A.D.A.

Olivia had decided that she needed to speak to Alex about their relationship before they made any decisions. The lunch date the blonde had called and asked her out on seemed to be the best time. A few minutes before Alex was to arrive Olivia quietly left the bullpen to freshen up in the ladies room.

When Alex arrived she saw Munch, Fin and Elliot all working at their respective desks. Olivia was nowhere to be found. The A.D.A. sidled up beside Elliot and cleared her throat. The detective did not jump, but he was taken aback, given the look he shot up at the woman beside him. Once resignation set in, his eyes softened. "Oh hey, Alex. To what do we owe the pleasure of your presence this fine Saturday?" The sentence was laden with sarcasm, implying that the A.D.A. probably never worked Saturdays. It was an assumption on the detective's part, and it did make him look like an ass.

Alex shot him a sideways glance. "I'm looking for Liv."

Elliot sat back in his chair and took in the tall woman standing beside him. She was dressed in a pair of somewhat relaxed jeans; an over-sized light blue baggy t-shirt that she wore off the shoulder, showing off the fact that she was not wearing a bra. On her feet the A.D.A. had on light blue three-inch heels. Even on a Saturday when she was not due in court and was coming from the gym Alexandra Cabot was dressed to kill. Elliot finally made his way back up to Alex's eyes. "I'll bet you are."

The A.D.A. rolled her eyes at him. "Any idea where she might be?"

The detective looked towards his partner's desk, expecting to find her sitting there. He actually frowned when he saw her chair was empty. "Actually no I don't. Hey you guys seen Liv?"

Elliot addressed the other two detectives in the room. As Alex turned to do the same she was met by looks from Fin and Munch similar to the one Elliot had given her a minute earlier. "Gentlemen? Do you know where Olivia is?"

Munch and Fin cleared their throats and looked at Alex's face. "No."

"Sorry Alex I'm not sure where she is."

The sound of a Guns N' Rose's song interpreted the room.

"Oh, Oh, Oh  
Sweet child o' mine  
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh  
Sweet love of mine"

Before Alex looked at the front of her cell phone she knew who was calling. She answered it immediately. "What's up, Jessie?"

Jess was still standing in the room that housed her and Morales's desks. "I think I may have found something in one of Ronald Blaze's external hard drives."

The A.D.A. could tell Jess was trying incredibly hard to stay composed over the phone. "Then why didn't you call Liv and Elliot?"

It was a valid question that any A.D.A. would ask under these circumstances. Lines had to be drawn in the sand when it came to protocol in an investigation and Jess had to learn that. "I know I should have called them but I wanted to make sure that what I found was enough to charge Blaze."

Alex smiled but continued her hard line with Jess. "Protocol is that you hand over whatever you have to the detectives assigned to the case and they present it to me. This, what you are doing now, does not fly. Call Livie and Elliot and hand over what you have."

Jess could not take this. She was so excited about what she had uncovered but was scared that Olivia would find something wrong with it. "Ally please. I really messed up with Livie yesterday. Can't you please come over here and see what I have?"

Olivia walked back to her desk. Her clothing instantly felt inadequate once she saw how put-together and yet relaxed Alex looked. The woman had style and the brunette ate it up. It appeared the blonde was sort of arguing on the phone with someone. "I absolutely will not come and see what you have. Jess there is a chain of command. No A.D.A. in their right mind would even take your call about something like this. Call Liv or Elliot."

A sigh came from Jess on the other end of the phone. "Fine. I know you are right. I'm sorry. See ya tonight."

"I love you, Jessie."

This garnered a smile from the younger blonde. "I love you, too, Ally."

Alex hung up and it was only a matter of time before Olivia's cell phone would go off. The blonde looked at the brunette. "Our dau…' Alex caught herself. She and Olivia had slipped into calling Jess their daughter very easily; neither woman was willing to say it to Jess's face let alone call her that in front of the squad. "Jess will be calling you shortly. I think she might have found something on Blaze's hard drive."

Elliot looked at Alex. "Why didn't she call us?"

This was going to sting. "I think she was scared to bother you guys. That she would be wasting your time. Jess wanted me to come down there and make sure what she had was enough to charge Blaze."

The sound of Elliot's cell phone interrupted the conversation. He looked at the caller ID and raised his brow. "Hey, Jess, what can I do for you?"

Olivia and Alex listened as Jess answered him.

Elliot nodded his head. "Okay, okay. We'll leave now. Thanks Jess. Bye." Elliot disconnected the call. "Jess has something to show us."

The brunette sighed. Not only was her lunch date cancelled but it was clear Jess was not over what had happened the night before. Alex could tell Olivia was bothered by the fact that Jess had called everyone but her when it came to the new information she had on the case. It was also apparent to the blonde that their lunch date was not going to happen. The women had been open with the detectives about their relationship. They had always been professional while they were on company time. It was Saturday, Alex's wasn't on call and the Captain wasn't in. Perfect. Alex sidled up to Olivia, put her hands on the hips of the detective and pulled their bodies together. "Make sure you and Jess are home for dinner. I'm cooking." The blonde kissed the brunette, passionately. Olivia returned the kiss in spades, running her hands from Alex's shoulders down her back and hooked her thumbs into the belt loops on the back of the blonde's jeans.

It was as if all the air in the squad room had been sucked out of it with their kiss. It could also be blamed on the other detectives in the room, as they collectively sucked in air at the women's shameless display of affection. The kiss ended mutually and Olivia turned to Elliot. "Let's go partner."

Elliot shook his head as Olivia and Alex walked past him towards the door. As Elliot turned he raised his eyebrows and with a half smile on his face looked at Munch and Fin. The partners had the same half-dimwitted smiles plastered across their faces as Elliot did.


	4. Chapter 4

**FYI: If you are interested in knowing if the baby storyline carried over from last weeks eps. of SUV to this weeks keep reading this message.**

**The baby is never talked about in the eps. Now on with my story...**

**Chapter Four: Communication**

**One Police Plaza**

**Computer Crimes**

**Saturday August 15****th****, 12:15**

Jess was uncovering more of the hidden files while Morales was checking the child pornography website. There was a new video of Evan Winthrop and another young boy, who they had already identified as Jacob Martinez. There was no reason for Morales to tell Jess about the video. He would tell Stabler and Benson once they had arrived.

The teenager had hit her rhythm again when it came to hacking into the files on Blaze's computer. A message at the bottom of the screen stopped her instantly. She opened it. "Who is this?" Jess stared blankly at it for a moment. "Uhhh, Morales can you come and take a look at this?"

Morales looked up but Jess was not looking at him, only at the screen of the monitor. He stood up and walked over beside her. "Where did that come from?"

Jess shook her head. "Someone who can IM this computer; I guess there is an IM program running in the background of this computer. What do you want me to do?"

Stabler and Benson rolled through the door. "About what?" was Elliot's first response.

The blonde looked up over the top of the monitor at the detectives. "I just got an I.M. from someone. They want to know who I am."

Benson had spent some time in Computer Crimes herself. She completely understood what Jess had just said. Stabler on the other hand, had spent no time in Computer Crimes. Elliot furrowed his brow. "What is an I.M.?"

"It's an Instant Message. Dick and I I.M. on our computers all the time, you can send one another messages over the Internet. Someone sent this I.P. address a message. What do you want me to say?"

Elliot and Olivia walked around Morales and stood behind Jess. They took in the message. It was simple, in a dialog box. "Who is this?" Three simple words.

Olivia looked hard at the screen. "That has to be from Markus Pharaoh. I mean who else would Blaze be conversing with on his computer? Chances are he figured out Blaze is missing, since he did not show up to work today. Pharaoh must be able to see that someone is using Blaze's I.P. address. The computers must be networked through WI-FI. Can I use the computer?"

Jess looked up, craning her neck up and her head back to see Olivia, who was standing directly behind her. "Yeah sure." The blonde stood up and Olivia took her seat. She put her hands on the keyboard and started to type in the dialog box. "A friend of Ronald Blaze's" and she hit the enter key. The detective took her hands off the keyboard and the four individuals waited in silence. It did not take long, "Where is Ronald Blaze? Who are you?" showed up in the message box.

Olivia looked up at her partner. Elliot met her gaze, raised his eyebrows and shrugged. Jess took that to mean he really had no idea how to proceed. Olivia's eye roll confirmed that. The teenager looked at the screen, avoiding eye contact with Olivia. "Tell him the police took Blaze in for questioning last night; that you were with him in the apartment when they came. Type that you took his equipment for safekeeping because you and Ronald have similar interests."

The brunette was skeptical. She glanced up at Elliot, who gave her a look back. Jess knew the look. He had no problems with what Jess was suggesting. There was only so much information Olivia wanted to give up, but what the blonde was suggesting seemed reasonable on second thought. The detective typed verbatim what the teen had said.

It took a few moments for a response. "What did the police want with Blaze?"

Olivia looked at Jess but the kid would not make eye contact. "Tell him you are not sure. The cops just said they had some questions for him and you have not heard from him since." She typed it out in the dialog box.

Impatiently, the four people stood and waited. Elliot couldn't take it. "Why would anyone do this? How can you and Dick just sit and wait for each other to type? Why don't the two of you call each other?"

Jess looked directly at him, a fact that did not go unnoticed by Olivia. "I. normally does not take this long. I think the sender is thinking a lot about what they are going to type before they actually put their fingers on the keyboard. Normally, it is a lot faster and there are short forms for almost anything you would want to say."

The dialog box flashed with a response. "What similar interests do you and Blaze share?" Silence filled the room for a minute. Olivia looked up at Jess. "Well?"

There were many thoughts going through Jess's mind. There was an opportunity here if they played their cards right. It was hard for the young woman to gauge if the detectives would let her see her thought process through to the end. It was worth a shot though. Whether Morales knew it or not Jess had seen the new video on the website this morning of Evan Winthrop and Jacob Martinez. She checked on the site several times a day to see if there were any new videos. She felt so helpless knowing that the victims were still being terrorized by their captor. "Type back that you both enjoy the website and evading authorities."

Olivia looked from Jess, who had never taken her eyes off the message box, to Elliot. Stabler's gaze went from the young woman to his partner. "Sounds good to me." Benson typed it out in the box.

A message came back almost instantly. "What website?"

Morales's eyebrows almost flew off his forehead. "You got his attention with that one."

Elliot looked at Jess. "Morales is right. Pharaoh or whoever this is has their guard down. You spooked them with the website comment."

It had been hard for Olivia not to believe in Jess the night before. The stakes of this case were high and most of the weight thus far was resting on the teenager's shoulders. It would have been devastating to have Jess break last night, but better last night than farther down the line in the case when there was nobody but the young woman to go to. Jess had proven herself the night before in the eyes of everyone in the squad, including Olivia. She looked up at Jess. "All right kid, the ball is in your court. What's our next move."

Jess looked from Elliot to Olivia. The kid did not smile; her eyes did not light up at the vote of confidence. She stuck her tongue ring between her front top and bottom teeth and looked expressionless at Olivia. Jess sucked in some air, put her tongue back in her mouth and spoke. "Type this but don't send it yet: 'I'm a big fan, Markus. That Winthrop boy is beautiful. The new video this morning is great. It is pretty easy to mess with the site without Ronald around though'."

Olivia typed while Jess moved beside her and grabbed her laptop. The young woman pulled up a chair and sat beside Olivia. She maximized two of the programs at the bottom of the screen and the child pornography website came up and a DOS looking box came up over top of some of the website. Jess typed some words, numbers, back slashes and letters, hitting enter every once in awhile. Elliot looked at the young woman. "What are you doing?"

It took Jess a minute but she finally answered him. "Watch where the new video is on the website." Thirty seconds later the still frame advertising the video and the link to it was gone.

Stabler walked over behind Jess. "Where did the video go?"

Jess turned in the chair. "I took it away and I'll put it back in a minute." The blonde turned her gaze to the brunette beside her. "Send the message."

The detective sent the message and then looked at the young woman sitting beside her. "Kid, when are you going to fill us in on the plan?"

The time had come to fish or cut bait. Jess could not hold out any longer, the detectives would either believe in her or they wouldn't. She cleared her throat. "It is going to take Pharaoh a second to realize whoever is typing to him knows more than they should. It is going to take him a second and a half to check the website and even less time to see the video is gone. Pharaoh is smart; he will know that whoever is typing to him took the video away. I surmise he'll ask for them to put it back up. I will and he will ask who I am. We will tell him that who I am is not as important as what I can do for him until the cops let Ronald go. He may or may not buy this, but I will bet the farm we can parlay this I. into a meet and greet. Plus, with what I found on Blaze's hard drive I am pretty sure you will be able to charge him."

Elliot looked at Jess. "What did you find on the hard drive?"

Jess turned her attention to Elliot. "Backed-up files of java script, starting from when the website was not even up and running yet right up until two days ago. Blaze probably starting scripting the website from home. Once Pharaoh acquired a location I guess Blaze starting working there. He must bring the external hard drive to work with him and back-up his script every couple of days."

Olivia shook her head. "What kind of an idiot backs up something like this?"

Morales shrugged. "The kind that likes to look at their own work and never thinks they will get caught."

The message box flashed with a new message. "Put the video back up."

Jess let out a breath, shook her head.

Stabler looked from the screen to Jess. "How did you know?"

The young woman looked from the message to Elliot. "It's what I would have said if the roles where reversed."

Benson looked from Elliot to Jess. "How many files have you uncovered?"

Jess looked from one detective to the other and shrugged. "Maybe half, it is hard to tell how many files there are total given how well they are encrypted. I can print out what I have and meet Ally at the courthouse with them if you think it will be enough for an arrest warrant." The blonde turned her attention to her laptop and maneuvered her fingers over the keyboard, typing in the DOS window. The still frame and the link for the video re-appeared, completely intact.

The message box flashed again. "Who are you?"

A half smile appeared on Olivia's face as she read the message; her pseudo daughter was very good at reading a situation and deducing the outcome. The detective typed what Jess had suggested earlier about it not mattering who 'I' was but rather what 'I' could do for Pharaoh in the absence of Ronald. She turned her attention back to Jess. "We should wait until we have all the files, or at least enough of them to tie in the video of Evan Winthrop from yesterday to Blaze. It is imperative to the case that we have evidence of Blaze's knowledge of all the victims before we arrest him. It's twelve forty-five now, we have to cut Blaze loose at seven-thirty tonight. Be at the squad no later than six tonight to present what you have. We'll set up a meeting with the A.D.A."

The messaging continued between Benson and the person on the other end of the box. It was determined if Ronald was not back at work on Monday morning that 'I' would be contacted to discuss matter's further.

Elliot and Olivia left Computer Crimes around one o'clock and headed back to the squad. Jess continued her decryption of Ronald Blaze's files while Morales printed off what Jess had already uncovered and signed off on it.

Manhattan's SVU Squad Room

**Saturday August 15****th****, 17:56**

Morales and Jess walked through the door of the squad room. The two had matching laptop bags strung across their bodies. Everyone in the room looked up as they entered and Cragen came out of his office. Morales was surprised at Jess's confidence as she strode up to Stabler and Benson's desks. He had known both detectives for quite some time and even he was slightly intimidated by the aura in the room. The young blonde unzipped a pocket on the laptop bag, pulled out a thick file and handed it to Olivia. "It is all there, up to and including yesterday's post of Evan Winthrop."

As Olivia took the file the weight of it surprised the detective. She set it on her desk and opened it. Jess stepped away and stood beside Morales as the detectives, their Captain and the A.D.A. looked through the file. It was ultimately Alex's decision on whether or not there was enough evidence to charge Ronald Blaze with something, but the detectives desperately wanted to see the file. It took a good fifteen minutes, and Alex having to fight off the detectives in order to read most of the important evidence in the file but she made a decision. Alex looked up at Elliot and Olivia. "I have Judge Petrovsky waiting at the courthouse." She gathered the contents of the file that were strewn across Olivia's desk. "I will do my best to see her on an arrest warrant for Ronald Blaze. I will call you once I know if we can charge Blaze."

Cragen looked at Alex. "You have a Judge waiting at the courthouse for you on a Saturday, after hours in August?"

Alex gave a half smile to the Captain. "I called in one of my last favors around there. Now that I am back working for this squad I have very few favors left."

With that Alex stuffed the evidence back into the file, turned and left. Morales and Jess said good-bye to each other and he left the squad room. Cragen went back into his office. Olivia looked at Fin and Munch. "You guys should take off, we can handle this."

Fin looked at Olivia. "You sure?"

Benson nodded.

Munch looked at her. "You don't have to tell me twice."

The partners were out the door of the one-six in less than two minutes.

Jess walked over to her old desk, put her laptop bag on the desk and sat down in her old chair. She looked over at Elliot. "Hey, old man, my homemade pizza against whatever you want. Tomorrow night, your estate…what do you say?"

Elliot sat down in his own chair and smiled at Jess. "You'd like that wouldn't you?"

This garnered a smile from the teen. "To kick your ass, yes…I believe I would like that."

Stabler pointed at Jess but looked at his partner. "You know she gets that cockiness from you."

Olivia sat down, a half-smile playing across her face as she looked across the desk at her partner. "No she gets that cockiness from perpetually kicking your ass." The detective's gaze fell on Jess. "No cook off tomorrow night, its family day tomorrow and that includes dinner."

In the three months Jess had spent with Olivia and Alex there had never been an official family day. Her assumption was that the cook-off nights were family time, everyone she had grown to love in one place. The blonde turned to Olivia. "The Stablers are family."

Elliot had a feeling tomorrow might be the last day Jess would be spending with his partner and her girlfriend together, as a family. While he was touched that the teenager considered him and his family as part of her own he knew she needed to be with Olivia and Alex tomorrow. Elliot leaned back in his chair and smiled at the blonde. "Jess, you know that we love you very much, but Liv and Alex want to see you too."

Jess smiled back as she pleaded her case. "Awww…look at you. Making up excuses. Livie and Ally will be there, they can see me."

The partners exchanged looks as their smiles faded. Elliot broke away first and looked at the young woman. "Tomorrow isn't going to work. Next week sometime, I promise. Let me think about what I am going to dazzle you with before I commit to a date."

She stared back at Elliot with questioning eyes, her smile gone as well. "Okay", was all she could get out. Whatever Olivia and Alex had talked about yesterday, Jess was positive Olivia and Elliot had discussed today.

**60 Centre Street**

**Supreme Court**

Chambers of Judge Lena Petrovsky

**Saturday August 15****th****, 18:32**

Alex ran from the cab up the steps of the courthouse and up to Judge Petrovsky's chamber's door. She knock, the Judge opened the door and looked at her hard. "This had better be good, Alexandra."

She nodded. "I would not have asked otherwise."

The Judge stepped aside, allowing Alex to enter the room. Petrovsky closed the door behind Alex, turned and walked across the room and behind her desk. The blonde looked at the woman across the desk and set the file Jess had given her on the Judge's desk. "Judge Petrovsky you are aware that SVU is trying to shut down a child pornography website."

The Judge nodded. "I am."

The A.D.A. opened the file. "The detectives at SVU have been working with two techs at One Police Plaza in the Computer Crimes division. As you know a search warrant was executed yesterday on Ronald Blaze. It was suspected that he was the proprietor or the second in command of the website. Upon seizure of Blaze's computer equipment the techs went through all of the hard drives. They came up with this." Alex pushed the file across the Judge's desk.

Petrovsky looked at Alex skeptically as she took the file and opened it. The Judge sat down and was silent for a few minutes as she processed the contents. She finally looked up at Alex. "Am I reading this correctly? Evan Winthrop is a victim of this website?"

The blonde nodded. "Yes, your Honor. He is the latest victim."

The Judge leaned forward in her chair and looked up at Alex. "Alexandra, this is not a small favor. You know who the Winthrop's are. This case is going to be under the microscope. You come to me on a Saturday evening asking for a favor and you hand me this?"

Alex sat down in one of the two chairs on her side of the Judge's desk, an air of desperation in her voice. "I would not have asked if I did not have case. Time is of the essence here, your honor. There are six little boys who are being tortured. This is the first step in bringing them home. I need to arrest Ronald Blaze for his part in this. We need to do this now or release him by 7:30PM tonight. My hope is that I can make a deal with him for the location of the victims and the proprietor of the site itself."

Petrovsky sat back in her chair. "Don't beg, Alexandra it is unbecoming. Let's get down to brass tacks. What do you want to charge Ronald Blaze with?"

Alex eased slightly but adrenalin stopped her from easing back in the chair she was perched on the edge of. "I want to charge him with the entire gambit, six counts of kidnapping and forcible confinement. Six counts child sexual abuse in the first degree. Six counts of physiological abuse of a child in the first degree as well as solicitation, production and distribution of child pornography in the first degree."

The Judge rolled her eyes and shook her head. "A.D.A. Cabot you are not going to sell that here. You do not have the evidence to support those charges and you know it. I'll sign an arrest warrant for the production and distribution of child pornography. From what the techs uncovered those are the charges that the evidence supports. There is no evidence Ronald Blaze abducted these boys or that he is the one abusing them in the videos. Find that evidence and I will amend the arrest warrant."

Petrovsky signed the warrant and handed it to Alex. "Thank you, Judge."

The Judge nodded. "Alexandra, do not let your ego cloud your judgment on this case. You are very good at what you do but there are six little boys' lives a stake here. Once it gets out the Evan Winthrop is one of them your case is going to be blown wide open. You had better make your deal with Ronald Blaze sooner rather than later."

Alex nodded. "I will. Thank you, Judge."

Manhattan's SVU Squad Room

**Saturday August 15****th****, 18:50**

The phone on Olivia's desk rang, interrupting a discussion between herself, her partner and Jess about whether or not Olivia should teach Jess how to fire a gun. The detective answered it. She listened, said okay and hung up. Elliot and Jess looked at her. Olivia looked at Elliot. "Cragen's office."

Jess held up her hands. "Wait. I do all the work and don't get an invite?"

Olivia sighed. She did have a point. The detective gave a half smile. "Fine, no talking."

A grin formed on Jess's face as she got up and walked with Elliot and Olivia over to Cragen's office.

The Captain looked up as two of his detectives and the pint-sized computer tech walked into his office. Normally he would not be candid in front of Jess. However, she was shaping up to be an integral part of the case the squad was working and had proven herself worthy over the last day and a half to be in the room when this discussion was happening. "What's up?"

Olivia looked at Cragen. "Alex called. She got the Judge to sign an arrest warrant for Ronald Blaze. She's on her way back up here with it."

Cragen sat back in his chair. "What are the charges?"

Benson looked from her boss, to her partner then to the child she thought of as her daughter. "Production and distribution of child pornography."

Elliot squinted his eyes. "That's it? What about child sexual abuse, kidnapping and forcible confinement?"

Olivia shook her head. "According to the Judge there is not enough evidence to support those charges. The evidence Jess found on the hard drive was only enough to prove Blaze's involvement with the website itself, not the victims."

Cragen sighed. "We have to make a deal with Blaze. Talk to Alex about how low she is willing to go on the production and distribution charges. Our focus needs to be our six victims. Ronald Blaze knows where they are and it's up to us to get it out of him."

Stabler and Benson nodded at their Captain. Olivia cocked her head to the right slightly. "There is one more thing, Cap. When Jess was going through Blaze's computer an instant message came up asking who she was."

The Captain looked from his detective to the computer tech. "Did you answer the message?"

Jess stood slightly straighter as she was addressed for the first time in the meeting. "Yes."

Captain Cragen nodded to the short blonde and she continued to explain the messages that went back and forth. Cragen had moved to the edge of his seat by the time Jess had finished. "Okay, now we know that Blaze will not be back to work on Monday so at some point whoever instant messaged his computer today will do it again on Monday. Our hope is that they will ask for a meet and greet and we'll oblige them?"

Jess nodded. "It is one way to get to Pharaoh without compromising the case against Ronald Blaze."

Cragen was impressed. Jess had demonstrated foresight and a crystal clear understanding of how to work a case to his squad's advantage. He sat back in his chair as a half-smile appeared on his face. "Nice work, Jess. I want you, Benson and Stabler to discuss this with Alex when she arrives. If she agrees we pray it is in fact Pharaoh on the other end of those messages and that he does contact us on Monday."

The teenager gave a half-smile and nodded. The Captain continued to look at Jess. "You called the interrogation right last night, too. That did not go unnoticed by this squad."

Jess could not stop herself; the smile got wider on her face. "Thanks, Captain."

Cragen dismissed the three individuals in his office and they left. Roughly ten minutes later he left for the night, leaving Benson, Stabler and Jess to wait for Alex. It was not long before the A.D.A. arrived, warrant in hand. The topic of stalling a deal with Blaze until after Monday was discussed.

Alex looked at the three people before her. "You really think it is Pharaoh behind the instant messages?"

Elliot and Olivia looked at each other, then back at Alex and nodded. Jess was not part of the partnership; she watched in awe of it, usually deduced what was being conveyed without speaking, but was not part of it. Alex looked down at the younger blonde and nodded toward her. "What do you think?"

Jess looked up at Alex. "It's Pharaoh that was instant messaging us today. He cannot produce the videos and protect the website himself. I would surmise Pharaoh is the man in all the videos with our victims. He is not going to give up that pleasure to maintain the website. He needs someone to help him. It was demonstrated to him today that whoever was I. with him could help him." Jess shrugged. "Hopefully he will take the bait."

Alex looked hard at Jess. "Are you willing to stake the lives of our six victims on that hope?"

Jess sucked in some air and visibly shook as she tried to swallow. Her throat had gone dry. The images of the six tiny victims played through her mind just as they had the night before and the night before that. Tears formed in her green eyes as she shook her head. "No. No I'm not." Tears fell down the young woman's cheeks. "Make the deal, Ally."

The three adults in the room were silent as they watched the teenage break. It was hard for them to stomach and shocking to each of them that it had been Alex, not Olivia that had broken Jess. Alex felt physically ill as she watched the child she loved so dearly weep by her hand. It was the first time she had ever hurt Jess and it nearly killed her. Olivia could not stand it any longer. "Alex, don't make the deal. You know the chances of Blaze giving up anything or anyone is slim to nil. Hold off until Monday."

Alex heard Olivia but could not tear her eyes away from the now tear-stained deep green ones staring back at her. "Ally, please, please make the deal."

Elliot ran his hand over his face and crossed his arms. "Alex, I agree with Liv. Blaze is not going to give Pharaoh or anything else up. Don't make the deal; don't even offer it. Blaze is smart he will know we have nothing else on him and that we are desperate."

The taller blonde heard Elliot as well but did not look at him. Jess mouthed the word 'Please' and the A.D.A. finally looked away, first at the floor as she sighed and then at Olivia and Elliot. She handed arrest warrant over to them. "Arrest him, no deal. We wait until Monday afternoon. He will probably be arraigned on Monday morning, as court is down for the weekend now. I can schedule a meeting with him and his lawyer that afternoon."

Benson took the warrant. The partners walked to Interview One where Blaze was being held. Olivia busted through the door, startling Blaze making him sit straight. She slammed the warrant down on the table in front of Blaze. Elliot was right behind Olivia and picked Blaze up under the armpits. "Ronald Blaze you are under arrest for production and distribution of child pornography. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…" Elliot continued the Miranda as he and Olivia took Blaze downstairs to be processed. As they walked him through the bullpen the partners noticed that Alex and Jess were both absent from the room.

Jess felt sick to her stomach. The kind of sick one feels after riding a rollercoaster. She felt completely out of her element, as if she had sea legs. The young woman had never once thought of this case as a game, she had taken it seriously from the beginning. Jess's nightmares of the young victims had begun the first night after Morales had involved her in the case. She had neglected to tell anyone she was having them because she wanted to prove herself. In the last minute and a half, Jess and her conviction had become unraveled. Now that she had broken down there no way the detectives or the A.D.A. in her life would ever let her back on a case. She looked helplessly up at the older blonde.

Alex looked down at Jess with a helpless look in her eyes. The taller blonde was devastated. "Jessie, sweetheart I am so sorry. I really did not want it to turn out this way."

She looked up at Alex, tears continuing to stream down her cheeks. "Than make the deal. Ally please, I'm begging you to make the deal."

As the child pleaded, Alex took the younger blonde in her arms to sooth her. "Shhhh, it's okay. It's okay. This is not your fault. This decision was never yours to make. It was mine and mine alone." Alex let go of Jess just enough to look her in the eyes. "Let's go to the locker room and talk about this."

Jess took the A.D.A.'s hand in hers and they walked down a hall and into the locker room of the one-six. Alex let go of Jess's hand, closed the door behind them and turned to the young woman. "I understand you are upset. This case is a particularly disturbing one. Cases involving children are very difficult to deal with. Jess you are still a child yourself…"

The younger blonde squinted her eyes at Alex. "This had nothing to do with how old I am. Those little boys are innocent victims." Jess's voice became erratic as she spoke through clenched teeth. "You have the power to stop their torment and you won't! What is wrong with you?"

It was not easy being an A.D.A. You ended up making a lot of unpopular and difficult decision for many different reasons. Having to make these decisions when it came to Special Victims cases was even more strenuous. In fact, it was downright grim for the most part. Alex had struggled with it from day one all those years ago when she first became SVU's A.D.A. It had not become any easier. The blonde sighed. "Jessie, I know it seems that way, but it really isn't. The likelihood of Ronald Blaze giving us anything at this point is very small. It is not worth risking him finding out we have a weak case against him."

Jess's brow raised in shock. "Weak case?! I gave you everything you need on Blaze. I worked my ass off to get those encrypted files!"

Alex held her hands up to Jess. "Whoa, Jess, this case is not weak because of you or your work. What you gave us IS the case, it is all we have. If it was not for you Blaze would be walking out of this precinct tonight a free man. It is now up to the detectives in this squad to get the rest of the evidence to charge Blaze with further crimes."

The teenager's expression changed. She no longer felt as though she was being attacked. Alex stepped closer to her and Jess put her arms around the older blonde. Alex held the child tightly in her arms "Jess, there is a hierarchy to this type of work. Once you have been involved long enough you will grow to understand it. Not every choice is up to you, or me or the detectives. It is a group effort and for the most part who makes decisions at certain points in a case is clearly defined. I asked for your input as well as Liv's and Elliot's but it was only to take under advisement. It is up to me what a suspect is charged with and if a deal will be offered. In my opinion, Ronald Blaze was not going to give us anything substantial in this case. He will lawyer up and our case will look weak if we offer him a deal. His lawyer will advise him of this, as well as to not take the deal. Offering it at this time will hurt me later on when I prosecute him. Right now we have a better chance with a possible meeting with Markus Pharaoh himself on Monday and that is what we are going with."

Jess had stopped crying as she listened to the taller woman's voice of reason. It was not that she had been unaware of the hierarchy. Rather, it was that she had temporarily forgotten about it. The young woman had become completely consumed with this case. Jess had felt pressure to single-handedly bring down the website and return the tiny victims to their families as soon as possible. She had been alright with that type of pressure. It had not been until Alex disregarded her decision that Jess felt as though this case was getting away from her. The decisions Jess had made and the train of thought she had continued with had not been easy to maintain; neither had her composure. The younger blonde sighed and felt as though a large weight had been lifted slightly off her shoulders. She sank into Alex and rested her head on the A.D.A.'s chest. "You're right, and I know it. I just felt so involved. Almost as if this whole case was on me to bring in. I know it wasn't but that is how I felt. I became obsessed with it; it is all I could think about. I just wanted to give those little boys back to their families. I just want to end it for them…"

As Jess trailed off, tears getting the better of her Alex kissed the top of her head. "I know you did, Jessie. That is what we all want. It's a team effort though; this is not all on you."

When Olivia and Elliot made their way back into the bullpen Jess was sitting at her old desk and Alex was sitting at Olivia's. Both blondes had their feet up on the desks; ankles crossed and were talking and laughing. It occurred to Elliot that Jess had become attached to Alex. He remembered a time when only his partner could have consoled the young woman in the manner she needed. It turned out Alex had her own method and it worked.

Olivia smiled at the sight of the two women she loved looking so happy. It was a drastic change from when she had left them earlier. If she was being completely honest with herself, it was a dramatic change from the last few days and it was beautiful. With no one in the room to hide from Olivia, walked right over to Alex and straddled the incredibly long legs that where stretched out. The brunette bent down, cupped the blonde's face in her hands and kissed Alex passionately. The A.D.A. ran her hands gently up the detective's back, up to her neck and found her fingers entangled in hair.

Elliot had sidled up to his own desk but had stopped short of sitting down as his attention was held by his partner and her girlfriend. It was not often that he saw them openly express this much affection towards one another. Sometimes they kissed at his house or held hands when his family and his partner's were out socially together; but almost never when they were on the clock and rarely in the bullpen. Elliot was not sure how Olivia and Alex could grow apart; they looked pretty together right now.

Jess grinned a shy smile as she watched Olivia and Alex. It was the first time in a really long time she had been in the presence of them truly being passionate with each other. She cut her eyes to Elliot. He had that stupid grin plastered on his face that Morales had on earlier that day. Jess watched Elliot intently; it made her miss Dick. The father and son looked similar, although Elliot had five o'clock shadow which Dick never got. The longer she looked at Elliot the more she realized a red hue was scalding his neck and creeping up onto his cheeks. He had gone from being enthralled to embarrassed at the sight of his partner and A.D.A. snogging, and it was cute. It made Jess realize he respected Olivia and Alex's relationship, at least enough to feel self-conscious about gawking at them. Jess looked back at the two women. "Alright, alright….get a room!"

The kiss between the pair ended only because they started to laugh at what their daughter had said. They opened their eyes and looked lovingly at each other before turning their heads and looking Jess. The grin on Jess's face got wider as her eyes met the taller blonde's and brunette's. "You're making the old man blush." Jess nodded towards Elliot.

Alex looked past Olivia at Elliot and smiled. Olivia turned just enough to make eye contact with her partner. The corners of Olivia's mouth curled up in a smirk. "Jealous?"

Elliot's eyebrows practically crawled up his forehead and off his face. He stuttered. "Uh…yeh…uh.."

The three women burst out laughing. Elliot grinned and held his hands up, palms out. "I'm going home to my beautiful wife. Have a nice weekend ladies."

Jess drove home with Olivia in her Mustang. She had left it there earlier that day, knowing she would probably be back in the evening. Alex tailed them in her BMW X5. Olivia's glaze slid from the road to Jess as she stopped at a red traffic light. "You okay?"

The young woman made eye contact with the older one. "Yeah I'm good. Are you okay?"

Olivia gave a half-smile. "Yeah, I'm good." She turned her attention back to the road as the light turned green. Jess continued to stare at Olivia, which did not go unnoticed by the brunette. After four blocks Olivia broke. "What?"

"Can I ask you something?"

Olivia continued to stare at the road ahead of them. It was hard to know where Jess would go with a question. So much had happened over the last few days and very little had actually been sussed. "Jessie, you know you can ask me anything."

Jess cleared her throat. "Are you and Ally breaking up because of me? I will move into Ally's place. I mean I think we should move in with her."

It took every ounce of the detective's composure not to veer the car off the road. Her partner had been correct; Jess knew there were problems between her and the A.D.A. This was without a doubt the worst question that could have come out of Jess mouth. Olivia sighed and tried to gather her thoughts. "Jessie, sweetheart what is happening between Ally and I is just that, between us. Our relationship has nothing to do with you. Do you understand that?"

The teenager was skeptical. "That's not true, at least not entirely. I understand that your relationship is between the two of you. To say that I have nothing to do with it is untrue. We are a family, Livie; at least that's how I feel. I love you and Ally more than either of you will ever know. Before I came into your lives that night three months ago you and Ally were happy. Here we sit twelve weeks later and the two of you are miserable. The only thing that has changed is that you both have to deal with me. I can't be the reason…"

Before Jess could continue Olivia cut her off. "Jessie, baby, Ally and I don't 'deal' with you. We love you and both just desperately want to be in your life. I agree that what happens between Alex and I affects you but you are not the cause of any problems we have."

Tears started to well up in Jess's eyes. It was one thing to suspect that Alex and Olivia were having problems; it was another to be told it. "You are having problems! Are you breaking up?"

Olivia wheeled the Mustang into a parking space in the garage a block from her apartment while Alex fobbed her way into Olivia's building's underground parking. Since Alex's vehicle was worth considerable more money it had been decided that she should park it underground and Olivia would park in the garage down the street. After throwing the car into park, Olivia turned to Jess. "Sweetheart, we need to talk about this. This family needs to sit down and talk this out."

Jess nodded. Both women got out the car and closed the doors. Olivia walked around the back of the car and stood looking at Jess for a moment. The teen looked so young and unbelievably overwhelmed. She looked up at Olivia, her bottom lip quivered. "I want you. I love Ally, I really do. Please don't ever tell her this but I want you. I cannot live without you, Livie. Please, please don't let me go. I love Ally, but I _need_ you. I can't lose another mother…" she burst into tears.

The brunette opened her arms and walked over to Jess. The young woman collapsed in her arms, leaning her full weight into Olivia. The detective shifted her own weight in order to hold them both up. She did not know what to say; Jess was sobbing uncontrollably. So much had just been said and it needed to be dealt with before they joined Alex upstairs. "Jess, you are not going to lose me. I am not going anywhere. You need to start believing me when I tell you this. No matter what happens in our lives I am never going to let you go. You may not believe this but I need you too. I cannot imagine my life without you, I don't ever want to."

The kid tightened her grip around Olivia. "Swear to me you won't let me go."

Olivia kissed the top of Jess's head. "I swear to you. Hell, I'll even get it tattooed on me if it will make you believe it. I am not going anywhere and neither are you." She loosened her grip and so did Jess. Olivia pushed Jess off her just enough so the women could look at each other. "Look, I know things aren't going the way I promised you they would." The detective sighed. "I work all the time and I know I said I wouldn't but I do. This leaves you either by yourself or with Alex. I really am sorry about that." Olivia shook her head. "I never feel like I am there for you. I miss you all day, every day. You have to believe me, Jessie, I think about you all the time. I never meant for it to be this way. I want to raise you."

Jess's sobbing had subsided. "I think about you, too. I miss you, Livie. Ally is great, I really love spending time with her…but she isn't you. She never will be." The young woman sighed. "Your work is important to you and is invaluable to victims. I sat in court and said I understood that; I was not lying. I knew you would not be around much, but that doesn't mean you are somehow failing me or us. I do not need you to be with me all the time to know that you love me. I know you had this Norman Rockwell painting in your head when it came to this family. Ally knows it, too. We really aren't like that and we never will be. I don't want that. I just want you." Jess looked up for a moment and then back into Olivia's dark brown eyes. "No one will ever take my mother's place in my heart. No one will ever be who she was to me. You…" Jess nodded slightly towards Olivia. "You are who she would want to be my foster mother; who I want as my foster mother. Ally follows a close second, don't get me wrong, but" Jess nodded. "It's you I want. It's always been you."

The detective smiled her trade-mark crooked smile as tears fell from her eyes. "I have waited a very long time for someone to call me their mother."

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Detective Olivia Benson's Residence**

**Saturday August 15****th****, 21:30**

Olivia and Jess walked through the door of the apartment and were greeted by Alex who was tossing her cell phone on the coffee table. Already on the table was a glass of white wine, a bottle of Corona and a can of Sprite. The tall blonde looked at the women as Jess closed the door behind them and looked at Alex. "What the hell happened to the two of you? One minute you are parking the car, the next minute I'm home alone without my girls."

Jess looked at the older blonde. "We need to talk."

Alex looked harder at the women, they had both been crying. She raised her right eyebrow. "Clearly, although it appears the two of you have already been talking."

It was pointless for Olivia to try and explain the last part of her and Jess's conversation. Not only was it pointless Jess had specifically asked her not to. "Jess wanted to know if we were breaking up because of her."

The teenager set her laptop bag on the floor gently and kicked off her DC shoes. Jess looked at Alex after Olivia's statement and nodded to her.

Alex realized she must have had an expression of shock on her face given Jess's nod of confirmation. She and Olivia had been so careful not to fight in front of her. How did the kid even know they were having problems? Alex shook her head. "Jessie, the relationship that Olivia and I share is very…complicated. Our issue are not about you, you have to believe me when I say that."

Olivia, who was now standing beside Alex, looked at Jess, who was still standing by the front door. "I told her that in the car. Jess, you have to believe us when we say that you are not responsible for what happens between us. Alex and I have a lot of history and sometimes a couple can't get past their history."

Jess looked from Olivia to Alex. "Do you hate each other?"

Both women closed their eyes, looked at each other, opened them and sighed. The truth was they loved each other. Although both women were speaking to Jess they never looked at her; they only looked at each other. The blonde took the brunette's hands in her own. "Not at all. I love Olivia."

Olivia squeezed Alex's hands gently. "I love Alex, too. I always have."

The teenager was so confused and torn. "Then what is the problem? Work this shit out! We're not the Brady Bunch or the Cunningham's but we are a family. It may not be conventional but it's all I have and I _want_ it. You love each other, how hard can the rest be?"

Alex tore her eyes away from the dark brown ones of her lover to the dark green ones of the child she loved so much. "Jess, sometimes love just isn't enough."

Jess's mouth opened slightly from shock. "And sometimes love is all you have. I love you both. I think of both of you as like second mothers. I love my mother very much. She and I will always be connected by many things." Jess shook her head. "But us? We are not bound by blood, or eye or hair colour. You cannot tell me stories from when I was a child anymore than I can help explain your past. All we have is love. How can you stand there and tell me that is not enough?"

Olivia bit her bottom lip before she answered. "Jess, love will always bind us as a family. Ally and I will always be in your life. We love you very much and that will never change no matter what else happens in our lives. What has happened between Alex and I is hard to explain. It is no one's fault it just happened over time. We love each other and want to be with each other but it just got too hard."

Hearing it said out loud for the first time made Alex almost vomit. As true as the statement was it was hard to hear. It was also hard to believe. Alex looked at the shorter blonde. "Jessie, Liv is right. It all just got so hard. I do not want to lose you. I know you are going to stay here with Liv but I would like you to come and stay with me at my place whenever you want to. You are my family. I have grown to love you like my own child. I don't want you to feel differently towards me because Liv and I won't be living together anymore."

Alex had made Jess's life easier than she would ever know. Not just there that night, acknowledging Olivia's role in her life so that Jess would not have to choose; but over all Alex had been there for Jess the most over the last three months. That was something Jess could never repay her for and it was something the teen was going to miss. The shorter blonde walked toward Alex and the taller blonde met her half way. She put her arms around Jess and she did the same to Alex. "I want to see you all the time, Ally. I'll come stay with you whenever I can, I swear."

A single tear fell out of Alex's right eye and down her cheek. It was bittersweet that Jess knew how much she meant to Alex and that she knew how Jess felt about her. By Monday the blondes would be living apart for the first time since they had known each other.

The women curled up together shortly after the emotional talk in front of the television. They never turned it on; they just sat in front of it. Alex told Jess that they were going to teach Olivia how to sail in the morning. The prospect of this made Jess smile, in fact it made her laugh. The women spoke about the next day and each of them laughed out loud at one point. Eventually they retired to their bedrooms. Jess noted that Olivia and Alex went into Olivia's bedroom and slept with the door closed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Spoiler Alert:**** Don't read this spoiler if you don't want to know about tonight's episode of SVU. We bid a fond farewell to a great character on tonight's episode. Honestly I was actually upset after seeing the episode. My boyfriend turned to me at then end and asked if I was angry and I looked at him and said 'no, I'm in mourning.' Now back to my story…**

**Chapter Five: The Calm Before the Storm**

**Sunday August 16****th****, 07:30**

It was on extremely rare occasion that Jess slept in this late. She thumbed her iPhone awake and a text message was waiting for her. "Miss u. When will I c u?" It was from Dick. Jess took the phone and padded, barefoot, out of her room, down the hall, into the living room and to the door the apartment. She retrieved the paper, picked up her laptop and headed for the kitchen. After putting on music, Jess dumped the contents of her arms onto the kitchen table. She unzipped the bag pulled out her laptop. She IM'd Dick that they could get together tomorrow before her baseball game if he was free. She did not expect him to answer; it was really early by most teenagers' standards.

Olivia and Alex woke and did their usual morning routine; although it never felt routine, it felt like the first time all over again. They joined Jess in the kitchen for breakfast. After breakfast Jess showered while Alex and Olivia made sandwiches for lunch on the sailboat. The teen met the women in the living room. Alex was wearing light blue jean capris and a white baby-doll t-shirt. Olivia was wearing kaki coloured capris and a black ribbed tank top. Jess wore white and brown board shorts and a white top that could double as a rash guard. She had her laptop bag slung across her body and was shoving her iPhone into a pocket on her shorts. Alex shook her head. "You are not bringing your laptop with you."

Jess frowned and shot Alex a look. "What? Why?"

Alex raised her right eyebrow. "You know why."

Jess sighed. Alex was right. It had sort of been decided yesterday between the two of them that Jess needed a break. Not just from the case but from the computer and life in general. "Okay, I'll leave the laptop, but I keep the phone."

Alex smiled. "Deal"

Olivia was impressed. It had pretty much only taken a raised eyebrow from Alex to reason with Jess. The blondes definitely had a connection. The shorter one took her laptop back to her room. She turned it on and took the tiny GPS tracking device Morales had given her the day before out of her pocket. She opened the tracking program on her computer and linked the device with the program. They connected just like Bluetooth connects things. She slipped the tiny disk between the rubber case that protected her phone and the phone itself. Morales had given it to her just before they left to go up to the One-six yesterday evening, feeling that she had earned it for all the work she had done. Jess left her room and met Olivia and Alex in the living room.

The women got up off the couch and they all left the apartment. They piled into Alex's SUV and she drove to the West 79th Street Boat Basin. Olivia had known Alex owned a sailboat but like so many other things the pair had not had the time to actually be on it together. Alex had taken Jess and Dick out on it a bunch of times over the summer, but Olivia had always been working. She parked the SUV in a spot. Jess grabbed the small cooler that had the sandwiches and beverages in it and headed for the slip Alex's sailboat was docked in. Jess wanted to give Olivia and Alex as much time alone as possible, she knew the brunette had never been here before.

The detective watched Jess head down to a dock, across it and disappear onto a large vessel. Olivia looked at Alex wide-eyed. "That's _your_ sailboat?"

The corners of Alex's mouth tugged up in a smile. "Yes, what where you expecting?"

Olivia was speechless. "I'm not sure. Not this."

The sailboat was more of a sail yacht than anything else. It was a fifty-foot Valiant Center Island Queen. The hull was navy blue and the rest of the boat was white, with white sails. As the blonde and the brunette walked towards the vessel, Alex took Olivia's hand in hers. They could see Jess walking around the deck of the boat. "Our daughter likes your yacht."

Alex chuckled. "Yes, she does and you will too, Liv."

As they approached the vessel the name of the yacht came into view. "Reflections" was scrolled across the stern of the boat. Alex boarded the sailboat first and helped Olivia on. Although the brunette had never been on Alex's boat before she liked it already. The A.D.A. and Jess settled into a routine. Olivia realized it appeared to be old hat for both of them. Alex was at the helm of the vessel but the shorter blonde was definitely needed in order to maneuver the boat. Before Olivia realized it they were out of the slip, marina and heading south on the Hudson River. Once they had settled onto the river Alex steered the boat from the wheel at the stern. Jess taught the brunette what to do and the pair of them cranked the two huge white sails up and the light August breeze took over for the motor. The teen went down below and cut the engine of the vessel. The boat was moving completely under the power of wind.

Alex sat down and steered the boat gently. Olivia and Jess joined her at the rear of the boat. The A.D.A. lifted up her right arm and the detective took her usual spot, back against the blonde, legs stretched out in front of her. Alex's right arm fell and draped over Olivia's right shoulder and down her body. The brunette always took the blonde's hand in hers and dovetailed their fingers. Today was no different. Jess took her usual position as well. She pinned herself between the back of the U shaped bench they were all sitting on and Olivia's out stretched legs. On her left side, Jess laid her head on the right side of Olivia's stomach and stretched her own legs out. Jess took her iPhone out of her shorts pocket, thumbed around and it started to play music softly. The young blonde reached up and set the phone on Olivia's chest. This garnered a giggle from both the brunette and the older blonde. "Please, make yourself at home." Olivia quipped.

Jess smiled widely but still did not look up. "Thanks." She stretched her right arm over the detective's body and held her left hand. The young woman played with the Claddagh ring she had given the detective several months earlier. Jess had also given Alex one. The pair had chosen to wear the rings on their ring fingers, with the crowns facing up. The teenager wiggled it off the detective's finger and placed it on her own thumb. She then held the detective tightly. "Don't mind if I do."

Those were the last words the older women heard from Jess for a long time. Olivia giggled again and with her left hand stroked Jess's soft curls. It took less than three minutes until Jess fell asleep.

The music from Jess's phone and the water lapping at the fiberglass hull of the boat while it cut through the water was calming. Alex had taken the phone off of Olivia and set it near the wheel that she was steering the boat with. Olivia closed her eyes and squeezed Alex's hand gently. "You know, you were right. I do like your sailboat."

Alex smiled and leaned into Olivia gently. "I thought you might. What's with Jess?"

Olivia craned her neck to look up at Alex. "I think our daughter fell asleep."

The blonde looked down at Olivia, a smile still on her face. "She called us a family."

The brunette smiled. "Yes, she did. We are a family, Alex." Olivia sighed and the smile disappeared from her face. "I have everything I've always wanted and I have fucked it up, Al."

Alex's featured softened from the smile to sympathy. "You did not fuck it up. _We_ fucked it up, together. I know you feel guilty about your career but you shouldn't. I am just as guilty for working as many hours as you."

"Al, why can't it be easy? I waited for you for so long; I made so many promises to myself that if you came back to me I would do anything, give up anything. Why can't I?"

The blonde squeezed Olivia's hand gently. "Everybody makes deals with themselves, Liv, that does not mean that they are rational deals. The truth is, you could not give up what you do, it is too important to you. You need to work and raise Jess. I want to raise her with you, but we can't do it as a couple."

Olivia shook her head as she looked into the sky-blue eyes behind the black frames. "I'm so sorry, Al. I never meant it to be like this."

Alex looked into Olivia's dark brown eyes. "I'm sorry, too. I wish I could be the person who you need me to be, but I can't. I'm going to pack up my things at your place tonight."

Tears formed in the detective's eyes. "Will you stay tonight?"

The A.D.A. nodded her head. "Of course." Alex held Olivia tighter as both women turned and looked at the water ahead of them. They sat in silence and enjoyed the last bit of time they had together. Olivia re-played the last three months in her mind as Notion by Kings of Leon played on Jess's iPhone.

(I got a notion that says it doesn't feel right  
Got the answer in your story today  
You gave me a sign that didn't feel right

So don't knock it, don't knock it, you been here before  
So don't knock it, don't knock it, you been here before)

Alex had been everything Olivia had asked her to be. It struck Olivia as odd that Alex had said she couldn't be who the detective needed her to be. The thought of coming home on Monday night after work to a bed without Alex in it made Olivia's heart ache.

(I just wanted to know if I could go home  
Been rambling day after day  
Everyone says they don't know

So don't knock it, don't knock it, you been there before  
So don't knock it, don't knock it, you been there before

I got a notion that says it doesn't feel right  
I just wanted to know if I could go home)

The A.D.A. also took the quiet time to reflect on the last few months. The truth was she wondered if she could go to a permanent home without Olivia and Jess.

Jess woke about an hour after she had fallen sleep. She nuzzled Olivia's belly and she felt the detective giggle slightly at the sensation. "Our daughter is awake."

The teenager laughed out loud and gently sat up to look at the two women. "'Our daughter'…I love it! How long have you been referring to me as that?"

Alex looked into Jess's deep green eyes. "What makes you think that wasn't the first time?"

A sly smile found its way across Jess's face. "It rolled off Livie's tongue too easily."

Olivia looked at Jess. "Please, don't be mad but we've been calling you that for two months now."

Jess's features softened and she smiled sweetly at the older women. "Why didn't you say it to my face?"

Alex looked from Jess to Olivia and back to the younger blonde. "We didn't want to scare you. Calling you that would be a big assumption on our part."

The young blonde hugged Olivia got up and walked over to the other side of Alex. Jess bent down lightly and kissed Alex on the left side of her neck, in the center of a pink scar. "It would have been a good assumption though."

Jess and Olivia eventually took the sails of the boat down and Alex anchored it. The women had lunch on the deck in the warm August sun. They had an incredible afternoon together. It was hard for Jess to tell that her family was about to be turned upside down. She cherished the afternoon with the other women and completely understood why they had not gone to the Stablers for dinner.

It took some time but Jess decided out of the two women in her presence, she was going to put the mini GPS device Morales had given her the day before on Olivia. It was nice of him to have owned up to his promise. Morales had installed the tracking program on Jess's laptop for her while she had been decoding the encrypted files on Ronald Blaze's computer. It would only be a matter of time before Alex moved out of Olivia's apartment. After that she would most likely be at her condo, office or at the courthouse. If Jess needed Alex it would be easy to locate her; plus she had an assistant. The detective, on the other hand, was a different story. Jess had the tiny device for another twenty-four hours; she planned to track Olivia on Monday to test the how well the GPS worked.

The teenager grabbed her iPhone and went below the deck, into the bathroom, closed the door and turned to the sink. She slipped a finger between the protective rubber case and the back of the phone. She pulled out the tiny silver disk and held it up to look at it. The young women wondered if it would work. Jess set the phone down on the side of the sink and placed the GPS disk on top of the phone. The blonde took off the detective's Claddagh ring she was still wearing and looked at the inside band, where the back of the heart and crown were. There was enough room there to adhere the device and they were roughly the same colour of silver. Jess sat the ring down on the phone and picked up the GPS disk with her right hand. She peeled the backing off the adhesive glue on the back of the disk and flicked the backing into the toilet. With her left hand the blonde picked up the ring and carefully set the disk on the inside of the ring. She squished it down with her thumb in order to make sure it was on securely. When she took her thumb away she examined the minuscule device; it was barely noticeable against the silver of the ring. Jess put it back on her right thumb and did not feel the disk against her skin; she hoped the detective wouldn't either. The young woman flushed the toilet and went back up to the deck of the boat to join Olivia and Alex. She slipped the ring back on Olivia's ring finger and hugged the brunette.

They docked the boat back in its slip in the early evening. The women went back to Olivia's place and made dinner together. It didn't take long but witty banter and music filled the kitchen. They laughed over the kitchen table as they ate dinner and found themselves in a dishtowel snapping fight initiated by Jess as they washed and dried the dishes.

Jess wound the towel she had in her hands tightly and snapped it against Olivia's backside. "You're it, Livie!"

Olivia's eyes went wide at the sting. She grabbed the lone towel left hanging on the handle of the oven, wound it and snapped it back at Jess, making contact with her right side. "Now you're it, kid!"

The younger blonde laughed, wound her towel and snapped it at Alex, who had a grin on her face. "You're it Ally!"

Alex wound the towel she had in her hands and looked at Olivia. "On three?"

The detective nodded. "One"

Alex's smile got wider but she never looked at Jess. "Two"

A sly smile found its way across Olivia's lips. "Three…"

Jess squealed, turned and ran out of the kitchen. Olivia followed right behind her into the living room. Alex tore into the living room as well but ran around the left side of the couch and to the far side of the coffee table. Jess vaulted over the couch and the detective followed her. "You better run, little girl!"

The teenager looked back at Olivia as she flew through the air, over the couch and landed on her feet. "Or what, Livie?!"

What Jess had failed to see was that she was running right into Alex's path. "Or I'll get you!" Alex grabbed at Jess's t-shirt but the kid ducked and evaded her. Jess ran down the hall and into Olivia's bedroom. The detective was three steps behind her and Alex two behind Olivia. The teenager took four large strides into the room and jumped onto the bed. The detective threw herself forward and grabbed Jess around the waist. Both women tumbled onto the bed, Olivia on her back and the young blonde on top of her. Jess squealed and laughed and tried her hardest to break free. Alex jumped on the bed and started to tickle Jess. The teen started to laugh harder and the other women broke out in laughter.

When all was said and done Alex spooned Olivia and Jess was lying on her side, curled up face first into Olivia. The kid's left arm was slung over the detective and was clutching the older blonde's shirt. The A.D.A. had her right arm over Olivia and the brunette's hand and hers were held together on Jess's back. The older women felt Jess's whimpering before they heard it.

Alex spread her fingers out across Olivia's and started to rub Jess's back with both their hands. "Shhhh….Jessie. I know it's hard."

"Don't go…" was all Jess could get out.

Olivia felt the older blonde's words catch in her throat before she spoke them. "I have to."

"No, you don't! You promised me, Ally!" Jess wailed.

The detective knew she had to step in. In Jess's eyes Alex leaving appeared to be all the A.D.A.'s decision and that was not true. "Jessie, Ally kept her promise as long as she could. This is not just Al's decision; we both feel it is what's best."

Jess knew she had to accept what was happening. At that very moment and after the day she had with her family she just did not have the strength. "Don't let me go…" The young woman wept bringing tears to the other women's eyes. They held on tight to each other until at some point Jess's sobbing subsided altogether. Alex and Olivia held their daughter until she had cried herself to sleep.

Eventually the A.D.A. and the detective unraveled themselves from the child and each other. Olivia sat on the edge of the bed and Alex stood up. She grabbed a pull suitcase out from under Olivia's bed and opened it on the floor. She went to the closet, opened it and started to pull her clothing off of hangers. Once Alex had an arm full she turned and walked over to the suitcase and placed the clothing in it. Olivia sighed. "I can't watch you do this."

With that the detective got up and walked out of the room. Alex watched the love of her life walk out of the bedroom and disappear down the hall. Tears formed in the A.D.A.'s eyes as her gaze shifted from the doorway to the bed. The tears that had formed in her sky blue eyes fell down her cheeks at the sight of the child on the bed, still curled up and completely unaware that she was all alone. Alex closed her eyes and cried; she was leaving everyone she loved behind.

Olivia turned off the music and finished putting the dishes away in the kitchen. She poured Alex a glass of white wine and grabbed herself a Corona from the fridge. The brunette set the beverages on the coffee table in the living room. She picked up a lighter off the coffee table and lit the candles that were around the room. The detective took a swig of her beer, set the bottle and the lighter back on the table and laid on her back on the couch; her head propped up on a pillow.

It did not take Alex long to pack. The suitcase was full, as was a garment back with suits and a duffle bag full of miscellaneous items. She stacked them behind the door of Olivia's room; she did not want Jess to see them when she woke up. Alex shut the lights off in the room and moved silently from the bedroom to the living room. Olivia had turned all the lights in the apartment off and it was now only illuminated by candlelight. The blonde found her detective lying on the couch. Alex picked up the glass of wine and took a mouth full; she set it back down, took off her glasses and set them on the table as well. She looked down at the brunette. "Hold me."

Olivia spread her legs apart more to make room for the slender blonde. Alex laid with her head on the detective's chest, their stomachs pressed together and her legs stretched out between Olivia's. The brunette put her arms around Alex and started to rub her back. Alex let her arms drop to Olivia's side. "I love you, Liv."

The detective inhaled the sweet scent of coconut from the silky blonde hair. "I love you too, Al."

When Jess woke up the room was dark. She looked at the clock on the bedside table; it read 2:37AM. It was only then she realized her room didn't have a clock on the bedside table. The young woman looked around and immediately recognized her surroundings; she also recalled that when she had fallen asleep there were two other people in the bed with her.

Jess got off the bed and padded barefoot out to the living room. She found the two women sound asleep on the couch; the candles were burning low in the room but most of them were still going. The kid looked at the women and wondered what on earth could have come between them. Jess did not have the heart to wake them; she did however have an idea. She quietly walked into her own room and turned on the light on the bedside table. She opened the drawer to the table and fished out the camera Dick had given her a few months earlier. The blonde switched it on and used her thumb to maneuver through the menus. She shut off the flash and changed the settings of the iris.

She silently padded back out to the living room and knelt down on her knees on the opposite side of the coffee table. Jess took several pictures of the women sleeping in the candlelight. She shut the camera off and watched Olivia and Alex in silence for a few minutes. There had to be a way to keep them together; they hadn't really been that forthcoming with reasons why they were breaking up. Both Olivia and Alex had said it had become hard to be together but Jess really did not understand that. To the teen, it didn't seem like a reasonable explanation for a break-up. In all honesty, the older women had let bits and pieces of their history slip to Jess over the last three months. Neither knew they other had done it, but they both had. As the teenager looked at the women she had grown so fond of she knew she had to get them to talk with each other about their past. It was the only way Jess could see them working out their issues.

The kid left the women on the couch and went to her own room. She placed the camera on her desk, peeled off her clothing and put on one of Olivia's oversized NYPD t-shirts as a nightshirt and crawled into bed. Jess turned off the light, laid her head on a pillow and fell asleep.

Olivia could not take it anymore. Her back was killing her. She had no idea what time it was but the candles had all died out. The detective ran her fingers down her A.D.A.'s back and up her spine. Alex stirred and nuzzled Olivia's chest. "Al, can we go to bed?"

Without opening her eyes Alex lazily said, "Jess is in our bed."

The brunette had forgotten about the sleeping child in her bed. Although she did not miss the fact that in Alex's sleepy state she had called her bed 'ours'. "We'll sleep in Jess's bed. I have to get off this couch."

"K" was all Alex could muster. She lifted herself off the detective and rose to her feet. It took Olivia a minute as her back was stiff but she followed suit. They quietly walked to Jess's room and walked across the threshold. Alex was almost to the bed before Olivia whispered to her, "Jess is in her own bed."

The A.D.A. was so sleepy she had not even noticed the child sleeping in the bed. "Oh…right." Alex turned and walked out of the bedroom with Olivia. She closed the door to Olivia's bedroom once they were inside. They stripped of their clothing and got into bed. Olivia laid on her side and Alex curled up behind her, spooning the detective. The women fell back asleep almost instantly.

**Monday August 17****th****, 06:30**

Jess woke up in a cold sweat; the images of the six little boys still in Markus Pharaoh's captivity fresh in her mind. The nightmares were not going away. She wondered if she should tell Dr. Hendrix about them in therapy today. Jess reached over and looked at her iPhone, it was time to get up.

Like every morning Jess grabbed the paper from outside the door, turned on music in the kitchen, sat down with a pencil and did the Sudoku. It was not until she heard the water in the shower turn on that she started making breakfast. When she heard the water she glanced at the clock on the stove, 7:45. Alex and Olivia had slept in and if Jess did not hurry she was going to be late for her session with Dr. Hendrix. The young woman got to work in the kitchen. When the older women appeared there was something going on between them, a kind of sadness for lack of a better term. They each went up to Jess and hugged and kissed her. Alex kissed Jess on the left side of her neck, on the pink scar left there by Brian Nudds. Breakfast was nice but both women only seemed to speak to Jess and not each other. The teenager found herself on edge because of Olivia's and Alex's strange behavior. Jess showered quickly, dressed, packed up her laptop and leftovers from dinner the night before for lunch that day. She noticed that it was eight-thirty in the morning and neither the detective nor the A.D.A. had moved from the kitchen. Something was definitely up. As she slipped her black and pink DC's on at the door, Jess looked at the women sitting in the kitchen. "What the hell is going on?"

Both women had been watching Jess fly around the apartment getting ready for her day. Olivia spoke first. "What do you mean?"

Jess narrowed her eyes at Olivia first and then Alex as she spoke. "You should both be at work by now and you are not speaking to each other. So I'll ask again, what the hell is going on?"

An uneasy smile formed on Alex's lips. "Nothing, we both called in late today to work. We'll be in by nine-thirty."

Jess looked at Olivia and she nodded back confirming what Alex had said. The young woman shook her head. "You're both lying! I was born at night but not last night! What they hell is wrong with you two?"

Both women sighed and looked at each other as if to say what the hell was wrong with us. Olivia looked at Jess. "Nothing is wrong. I want you to call El or me if you get an instant message from Pharaoh today. We'll drive down to your office and work out the details of a meet and greet if that's what he offers. Call us immediately."

The teen looked back at Olivia with a defeated look in her eyes. "Why do you think you have to lie to me?" Jess turned and opened the door.

As she walked through it Olivia called out to her. "Jess, you call me if you get that instant message! I'm not screwing arou…"

Jess walked through the doorway and slammed the door behind her, not waiting for the detective to finish her sentence or answering her. She closed her eyes and sighed at the closed door. Alex looked from the door to Olivia. "She'll call."

Olivia turned to Alex and opened her eyes. "I know she will. The next few weeks are going to be really hard on her."

Alex looked into Olivia's deep brown eyes and got lost. "She is going to act out, a lot."

The sky blue eyes staring at her mesmerized the detective. "You're going to her baseball game tonight with me right?"

The A.D.A. smiled slightly and nodded. "Yes. We should take her out to dinner after the game and I'll tell her then that I've moved out."

Tears came to Olivia's eyes. "You don't have to leave so soon. You could wait a few days."

Alex broke their eye contact and stared down at the plate in front of her. "I could wait a few months, Liv, but the truth is nothing will be different. The last thirty-six hours is the most we have seen each other in over four weeks. Even then, Jess was with us the whole time. It takes more than that to be a couple. I want you, Liv, I want time with you." Alex shook her head and looked at Olivia. "We both know it is not going to happen. Between our jobs and Jess there just isn't enough time for us."

Olivia knew it was true. Three months ago the brunette had never accounted for the fact that she and Alex would never see each other. It had been childish to overlook that fact, to think that it would all just work out. Olivia looked at Alex and nodded. "I umm…I can't watch you leave so I'm going to get my stuff and go work." The detective stood up, walked around the table and leaned down to the blonde's face. Olivia cupped Alex's face in her hands and kissed her. When the kiss ended she walked to her bedroom, collected her service weapon, badge and other items she needed for the day and walked out to the kitchen. Alex had cleared the dishes and was washing them in the sink. Olivia wanted to say so much, she wanted to plead with the A.D.A. to stay, but she knew Alex was right. Instead she just said, "I'll call you if we get anything on Pharaoh."

Alex turned and looked at Olivia. "Okay. Blaze has a bail hearing today at eleven. I'll let you know what happens."

The detective nodded, turned and opened the door. She closed it behind herself and headed for the elevator.

The blonde was left completely alone in the apartment she had basically been living in for the last three months. She finished the dishes and turned off the music in the kitchen. Alex slowly walked through the apartment and down to the bedroom she had shared with Olivia. She looked inside the room, taking stock of it and of her and Olivia. Alex had not been naive three months ago when she promised Jess that she would stay with Olivia. She had stayed as long as she could, but neither woman had been happy for a long time. Their relationship had become a constant stream of disappointments and cancelled engagements. It wasn't fair to either of them to continue the relationship; they both deserved more.

Alex grabbed her bags from behind the bedroom door and walked down the hallway, into the living room and to the front door. She dropped them onto the floor and went back down the hall. She stopped in front of Jess's room and walked in. Alex stood in the room and looked around. Tears formed in the blonde's eyes. Maybe things would have turned out differently between her and Olivia if Jess had not come into their lives. The thing was, Alex didn't want to know. She loved Jess in a way she had never loved anything else in her life. Alex walked over to Jess's bed and picked up one of the pillows. She inhaled the young woman's scent and knew instantly that she could not bear to lose the child she had grown so attached to. It was going to break Alex's heart to sit across a table from Jess later that day and tell her she was not coming home with her and Olivia.

Alex set the pillow back down and ran her fingertips over the comforter of the freshly made bed. She turned and walked out the door, down the hall and back to the door of the apartment. The blonde picked up her bags, opened the door and closed it behind herself. She locked it and headed for the elevator.

**Manhattan's SVU Squad Room**

**Monday August 17****th****, 09:34**

Olivia walked into the bullpen and sat down at her desk. Fin and Munch were out on a new call that came in that morning. Stabler and Benson were supposed to be catching any new cases but without his better half, Elliot had given up the call to Munch and Fin. Cragen was out at a meeting, which left only the partners in the squad room.

As soon as Olivia sat down Elliot knew something was up. He had looked up from his paperwork but had not said anything to her. Olivia sat in her chair and stared into nothingness on the other side of the room. "She packed her stuff last night. Alex moved out this morning after Jess left."

Elliot cleared his throat. "The two of you can't work this out?"

The brunette continued to look blankly across the room. "Nope. We both work upwards of fifty-five hours a week. Between making sure Jess is always with someone and trying to keep our jobs there is no time for each other."

Stabler sighed. "I told you I would help you two with Jess. You and Cabot have to loosen the stranglehold you have on her. Eventually Jess is going to rebel against both of you."

Benson was surprised at her partner's willingness to leave Jess alone. He didn't see her everyday. How could Elliot truly know how Jess felt or how she would act? Olivia finally looked at him. "You know, you act like you know Jess better than I do."

Elliot squinted his eyes slightly at his partner. "That's not what I meant and you know it." His eyes went sympathetic. "Look, Liv, I have five kids, three of which are girls and all three have been or are teenagers. There is a honeymoon phase with you, Cabot and Jess but eventually she will push her limits with you both. She is going to want her own space and more freedom. If you gave her those things now it might save your relationship with Alex."

Olivia was beyond rationalization at this point. Her life was falling apart around her and the one person that was supposed to be there for her was acting as though it would be so easy to fix everything. "You know, Elliot, you have no idea what it is like to raise Jess. You have no idea what it has taken Alex and me to get this far with her. Do you know how she fell asleep last night?"

Her partner looked at her in silence. "She fell asleep in mine and Alex's arms. Do you know what she was doing as she was falling sleep?"

The detective looked back at her with his blue eyes and quietly said, "No."

Benson shook her head slightly. "Jess was crying. Alex and I held her until she cried herself to sleep. Does that sound like a child that should be left alone? Does that sound like a teenager that is going to rebel?"

Stabler looked down at the paperwork on his desk and then back at Olivia. "Okay, no. No it doesn't. You're right Liv I don't know Jess or Alex very well but I do know you. You need Alex; you love her."

The brunette nodded. "You're right, you don't know Jess. Please stay out of my relationship with my daughter."

Elliot's eyebrows practically crawled off his face in shock. It was the first time he had ever heard his partner use that term to describe Jess. Olivia saw the look on his face and realized what she had said. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Save it, El."

The detective sighed. He was never going to get Olivia to see reason right now. Her world was spiraling out of control and he knew it. Although he did not know Jess very well he did know teenaged daughters well. It was only a matter of time before Jess pushed the limits with Olivia and Alex with regards to her own space. Elliot also had his suspicions that Jess was far stronger than his partner and the A.D.A. gave her credit for. "Morales is going to call us if he and Jess hear anything from Pharaoh on Ronald Blaze's computer today."

Olivia glanced over at the stack of paperwork on her desk. She picked up half the pile and started to sift through it. "Good. The arraignment for Blaze is at eleven, Cabot is going to let us know if he gets remand."

With that the partners went on with their workday. The discussion about Olivia's life was over…for now.

**60 Centre Street**

**Supreme Court**

**Courtroom of Judge Lena Petrovsky**

**Arraignment of Ronald Blaze**

**Monday August 17****th****, 11:00**

The judge's assistant called out the case. "Docket ending nine three five seven, the people verses Ronald Blaze. Charges are production and distribution of child pornography"

Judge Petrovsky looked at Ronald Blaze and his attorney. "How do you plead Mr. Blaze?"

Blaze looked at the judge. "Not guilty."

The judge looked at Alex. "What are the people looking for in terms of bail?"

Alex looked at Petrovsky. "The people request remand, your honor." The A.D.A. cut her eyes to Blaze. "The defendant build a child pornography website and maintained its security in order to evade the New York Police department in taking it down."

Blaze's attorney shot a look at Alex. "You have to be kidding me with remand." He then looked at the judge. "Your honor, this is outrageous. The people's case is weak, at best."

"Weak at best?" Alex scoffed as she looked from Blaze's attorney to the judge. "Your honor, we have ironclad evidence from one of Ronald Blaze's external hard drives that demonstrates every key stroke he hit in order to build the website. We have him dead to rights on the production and distribution charges. The people feel Ronald Blaze is a threat to society…"

The attorney looked from the judge to the A.D.A. "A threat to society?!" He looked back at Petrovsky. "Your honor, please tell A.D.A. Cabot to keep the theatrics to herself. Ronald Blaze is a computer programmer by trade. He has an apartment in Chelsea and is not a threat whatsoever to society."

"A computer programmer by trade? Your client has not worked in over a year. How does he afford that apartment in Chelsea on unemployment insurance?" Alex turned her attention to Petrovsky. "The people believe Ronald Blaze knows the whereabouts of the six young victims that are being tortured on the website."

Blaze attorney lost it. "Your honor, I strenuously object! It is obvious that A.D.A. Cabot is out to slander my client with false accusations. The people have not charged Ronald Blaze with anything other than production and distribution of child pornography. If they had evidence of other crimes they have to charge him with them before disparaging him in a court of law."

Judge Petrovsky held up her hands, palms up halting all arguments. "Enough…from everyone! A.D.A. Cabot I warned you about biting off more than you could chew in this case. Unless you have evidence that Mr. Blaze knows where your victims are you must limit your comments to the charges you _have_ charged him with. Now Mr. Blaze, I find what is on that website repulsive. I have to agree with A.D.A. Cabot about bail. While remand is harsh it is not without merit. Ronald Blaze is remanded without bail. Jury selection will start on Tuesday August 18th at nine AM. I want your witness lists that morning as well. I will hear opening arguments on this case starting Wednesday morning." Petrovsky smacked her gavel down and called for the next case.

**One Police Plaza**

**Computer Crimes**

**Monday August 17****th****, 11:15**

Jess was listening to music on her iPhone while she was running some analyses on her laptop for Morales. She was sitting beside Blaze's computer, which was running. Morales was decoding a hard drive seized as evidence yesterday in another case, in the background he had the child pornography website running. If another video was posted he wanted to take it down in an attempt to show Pharaoh he needed help maintaining the site. Morales checked the website and a video had been posted twenty minutes ago. It was of Evan Winthrop and two other victims, Quentin Stevenson and Trey Kingston.

Morales stood up and walked over to Blaze's computer. Jess stopped what she was doing and pulled out the one ear bud she had in. "What's up?"

Her superior looked down at her. "New video on the website."

The teenager's gaze went from Morales to Blaze's computer. "Can I take it down using Blaze's computer?"

"I can do it. You really don't have to do everything for this case. There is no way I could have decoded those files but I can take down the video."

Jess smiled and looked up at Morales. "I know you could do it. I just want to see this through to the end." She shrugged. "You can do it though."

Morales smiled back at Jess. "You worked your ass off for this case. You should be the one that toys with Pharaoh. Go ahead."

The blonde's smile faded as she turned to the computer monitor. She grabbed the mouse, opened up a window on the Internet and went to the website. The young woman clicked on the newest video and then turned to the keyboard to follow through on making it disappear. It did not take long and the video was gone. Jess sat back in her chair and looked up at Morales. "How long do you think it will take for Pharaoh to notice the website has been screwed with?"

The tech looked down at his protégé. "Probably not very long; he will be monitoring the website closely given that Ronald Blaze has been arrested."

Jess furrowed her brow. "Do you think we should call Livie and El? I mean it would make sense as there is a high probability that Pharaoh will contact us. They should be here right?"

Morales nodded. "Good call. You wanna take that one too?"

A chuckle came from the young woman. "Yeah sure." She grabbed her phone, disconnected the ear buds and thumbed her way to Olivia's number. When the detective answered Jess explained what she had done and asked the brunette if she and Elliot wanted to make their way to One P.P. since it was highly probable Pharaoh would contact them soon. Olivia agreed it was a smart idea and they would be there soon and disconnected.

When Elliot got back from the bathroom Olivia relayed the conversation she had just had with Jess. Stabler drove the sedan from the motor pool of the one-six to One Police Plaza, his partner was in no state to drive. The ride had been silent for the seventeen minutes they had been driving so far, Elliot had glanced at the clock on the dash every minute or so. He hit a red light, stopped the car and glanced over at his partner. "Liv…I am sorry about you and Alex."

Olivia looked at him with a genuine look in her eyes and sighed. "I know you are." Her cell phone went off on her hip.

"I don't know what this is  
But you got me good  
Just like you knew you would  
I don't know what you do  
But you do it well  
I'm under your spell

You got me begging you for mercy"

The detective was not sure how to answer the phone. She sat there looking at the caller ID. Though she didn't need to look at it; Jess had given Alex that ringtone three months earlier. Normally when the A.D.A. called Olivia would answer with Al or sweetie, always something loving if only Elliot was around. It was hard to know what to say now. She flipped the phone open and tried to sound as normal as possible. "Hey you, what's up?"

Alex was surprised to hear Olivia's greeting, although she shouldn't have been. It actually threw the A.D.A. off. The blonde was going to have to get use to her detective referring to her as Alex or something more generic. She was also going to have to stop thinking of Olivia as _hers_. "Uhh…hey you." A rough start Alex thought to herself. "I just wanted to let you…I mean the squad know that Ronald Blaze is being held in remand."

A smile formed on the detective's face. "Al, that's great news. We are actually on our way to One P.P. Pharaoh posted a new video this morning and Jess and Morales took it off the site. They are hoping it will make Pharaoh contact them faster."

The A.D.A.'s heart skipped a beat. Olivia had called her Al. It shouldn't have meant that much to Alex but it did. "Thanks, Liv. I would imagine it wouldn't take long for Blaze to somehow get word to Pharaoh that he will not be getting out of jail. That alone should make Pharaoh contact Blaze's computer."

Olivia could hear her heart pounding in her chest. Hearing Alex call her Liv was bittersweet. "You're probably right. Listen if we get anything on a meet and greet I'll call you."

Alex was nervous. It was a very unnatural way for the blonde to feel on the phone with the detective. "Thanks, Liv. I am about to go into court for a pre-trial hearing. Leave a message on my cell and I'll call when I get out."

The detective nodded but said nothing. It was the second time Alex had called her Liv. It felt so good and yet broke Olivia's heart. The A.D.A.'s voice snapped her out of her own thoughts. "Liv?"

"Oh, yeah sorry. Elliot's driving…you know how that is. I'll call you. Good luck with your pre-trial stuff." Olivia knew it was lame but she did not know what else to say.

"Okay, thanks. Bye Liv."

"Bye Al."

Elliot had been listening the entire time he was driving. He was still in denial that his partner and the A.D.A. were actually broken up. They might be separating for now, but they were still sweet on each other and there was no denying that. It was also painfully awkward to see them struggle through what they were. "So…what did _Al_ have to say for herself?"

Olivia slid her partner a sly look. "She got Blaze held without bail for a start."

Stabler stopped the car at the last red light before they hit the parking garage at One Police Plaza. He glanced at his partner and caught the look she was giving him. "Good for her and us. What else did she say?'"

"She wants me to call her if we set up a meet and greet with Pharaoh."

"_And_…?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "She called me Liv."

He shot Olivia a sly look back with a grin on his face.

"You know you're lame right? I mean really, truly, unbelievable lame."

Benson shook her head and grinned at Elliot. "Why can't you ever let anything slip by? You are an asshole. You know that right?"

Elliot's grin got wider and he nodded slightly. "How could I not, you tell me every chance you get."

Olivia laughed out loud.

Elliot looked back at the road and stepped on the gas as the traffic light turned green.

**11:57**

The detectives walked through the office door just in time. Morales waved them over as Jess was typing. Stabler nodded his head to Morales as a greeting and Benson did the same. As the partners came around Jess's desk Elliot looked at the older tech. "What's going on?"

Morales looked at him. "The person we suspect is Pharaoh just sent Blaze's computer an instant message."

Olivia looked down at the text box and read what it said out loud. "Put my video back."

Jess looked up at Olivia, who was standing immediately to the child's right side. "Should I put it back?"

The detectives looked at each other and shrugged. Jess and Morales watched the exchange. "I'll put it back up on the website" The blonde had seen enough of the partner's exchanges to know that was a unanimous sure why not. Using the mouse Jess clicked on a minimized item at the bottom of the screen. The website popped up. With some very deliberate keystrokes on the keyboard the missing video was returned to its original location on the site. Jess looked up at Olivia. "Can I talk to Pharaoh?"

Olivia answered more as a mother than a detective; a fact that did not go unnoticed by Elliot. She had not even looked at him to consult him. "I would prefer to talk to him. You do not need to be involved in communicating with him."

Jess squinted her eyes at Olivia. "I got us this far. What difference does it make if I type to him?"

Benson narrowed her eyes back to Jess. "It makes a difference, Jess. Move, I'll type."

The teen raised her right eyebrow. "Seriously? Livie, what difference could it possible make? He can't even see us."

Olivia furred her brow. "It makes a difference to me. I am your mo…" The detective's eyebrows practically shot up off her face and her jaw dropped in shock. She could not believe what she had almost said. The almost statement took Jess by surprise as well. The anger in the teen's face softened and she stood up. Although it had come out in anger, well actually more in an act of protection if Jess was really being honest, Olivia had demonstrated an almost primal act of motherhood. She did not want her child to be involved in such ugliness. The right side of Jess's mouth tugged up in a grin. "Okay, you win. Sit…type."

The brunette did as instructed, looked at the text box on the monitor and then up at Jess. "What should I type?"

The grin disappeared from Jess's face. "Type 'It's back. U need me.'"

Morales and Stabler exchanged looks. They both raised their brows and shrugged. They might as well have gone for lunch. The men looked back at the women and the monitor as Olivia typed what Jess had said and sent the message. Pharaoh must have been waiting for the reply because his response was almost instantaneous. "You have made your point. Who are you?"

Benson looked up at her partner. "He's going for it. How do we want to play this?"

Stabler looked surprised she was even consulting him. "Meeting in a public place, of his choice; we want him to be comfortable. Leave out a name and description of whom he will be meeting. Ask him to describe himself so you can find him."

The brunette turned back to the computer and typed out a message relaying the questions. A response came quickly. "Two o'clock. Washington Square Park at the chess tables in the Southwest corner of the park. I will find you. Wear a black baseball hat." The four people in the office stared blankly at the monitor. Olivia could not believe it. "We got him."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: Enter the Sandman**

**Manhattan's SVU Squad Room**

**Monday August 17****th****, 12:35**

Captain Donald Cragen's office was chocked full of people, too full for his liking. He held up his hands to address the seven individuals. "Alright people, enough. We do not have much time. Benson you are the Primary. Start us off."

Olivia looked around the room as she spoke. "The person we suspect is Markus Pharaoh has agreed to a meeting. Washington Square Park, by the chess tables at two o'clock. The only stipulation they had was that whoever goes has to wear a black ball cap, he would seek us out. We need someone to go undercover, a handler, a surveillance van and a hell of a good wire."

"We can talk to TARU about the wire and surveillance van", Munch said.

Fin looked at her. "Whichever one of us goes undercover is gonna have to know how to perform what Pharaoh wants. That's leaves most of us out."

Morales looked from Fin to Cragen. "You could pull someone from another squad that has the knowhow?"

Cragen nodded as he contemplated this. Jess could not believe what was being proposed. Having someone come into the case part way through? It was never going to work. "You cannot be serious about bringing in someone cold to the case? It will never fly; we don't have that kind of time to prep someone. You need someone with the knowhow of java scripting and that has a good working knowledge of the case."

Stabler met Jess's eyes with his own. "Jess, we are going to have to bring someone in from another squad. None of us can write that stuff."

The teenager raised her brow. "I can"

Elliot narrowed his eyes at Jess as Olivia's jaw dropped and Alex's normally stoic face twisted into disbelief. Benson looked at Jess. "You can't be serious."

Jess squared her shoulders as her gaze moved to Olivia, her tone remained calm. "As a heart attack. I have been involved with this case for a week now. I decoded the files on Blaze's computer and can write the type of script Pharaoh needs better and faster than anyone else you'll find and you know it."

Cragen crossed his arms over his chest. "Jess, I agree with you but you are sixteen years old. I cannot in good conscience let you go undercover in this case."

"No to mention it's illegal. If this is Pharaoh we are meeting, he is more than likely the pedophile in those videos with our victims. We will not send a child in undercover to catch a pedophile. " Alex watched as Jess met her eyes.

"Pharaoh is a smart guy. He is going to smell cop on anyone you send in to meet him that is unfamiliar with the case. If I go he won't suspect I'm working with the police."

Olivia composed herself and looked at Jess. "Leaving good conscience and legal standing aside Alex is right, this is a highly volatile situation, Jess. You can't possible think we would let you stand in the middle of it?"

Jess sighed as she looked around the room and tried to remain calm. "I am so sick of being looked at as the sickafant. I find it interesting that my involvement in this case was acceptable to everyone in this room when I was decoding those files and when Ronald Blaze was being interviewed. Now that we have a real shot at bringing our victims home to their families I am suddenly cast away and thought of as incapable of wearing a wire and writing java script for a website."

"It isn't that we think you are incapable. Jess, you are _sixteen_." Elliot leveled a fatherly look toward her.

The young woman maintained her composure. "My age was irrelevant up until now. You know I am the most qualified to do this. I am volunteering to go undercover, there has to be paperwork for this somewhere. I cannot be the first minor you have used in an undercover investigation."

Benson had heard enough. She was never going to let Jess near Pharaoh. The detective already felt as though the child was too involved in the case. "Jess, your age was irrelevant but now it is. You are not going undercover."

Jess rolled her eyes. She was losing the battle of composure although her tone remained even . "I can do this."

The brunette squared her shoulders to the teen. "Have you lost your mind? No, no you cannot do this. You are sixteen years old, I am your guardian and you are officially off this case!"

The young woman lost all composure. She shot Olivia an evil look as she spoke through clenched teeth. "You can't do that. I am knee deep in this case, you can't pull me."

Olivia forgot about everyone else in the room and stepped closer to Jess. "I just did. I'm the Primary on this case. You officially work for Computer Crimes, which is a division of TARU who work for the detectives of this squad at our discretion. I'm ordering you off the case. Get out!"

Jess knew Olivia had the authority to take her off the case, but she did not have to take it lightly. The short blonde leaned closer to Olivia and spoke softly through a clenched jaw. "I cannot believe you don't believe in me. I hate you for doing this to me." Jess stepped back from the detective, walked to the door of Cragen's office, opened it, walked through it and continued to the locker room around the corner and down the hall. Alex closed the door behind the younger blonde. She was the only one in the room that looked at Olivia. As the women's eyes met the look Alex shot Olivia was one of understanding, although the A.D.A. shook her head at the detective. There had been no need for Olivia to raise her voice and kick Jess off the case. The case had basically been built on teenager's back.

Munch looked around the room. "Jess has a point about bringing someone in on this case. We really don't have that kind of time. I vote Benson goes undercover. She has the most experience with computers."

Benson looked bewildered. Not at Munch volunteering her but at the way she had just spoken to and acted towards Jess. "Uh, yeah, that's fine. I will go undercover but you will have to excuse me for a minute."

Stabler looked at her. "There isn't time. You are the Primary and now you are going undercover. I'll go talk to Jess." A small grin played across his lips. "Plus I have to ask her what sickafant means."

Alex stared at the floor. While she had moved out of Olivia's apartment that morning she still cared very deeply for the detective. The A.D.A. knew what had happened to the brunette in Sealview Woman's Prison. It had been the last time the detective had been undercover. Alex was not sure if Olivia was ready; nor was the blonde sure she wanted to find out. The A.D.A. answered Elliot nonchalantly, continuing to stare at a spot on the floor of Cragen's office. "It means to be the stupidest person in a group."

Munch stepped closer to Benson. "Stabler is right. You have to stay." He looked at Elliot. "If Liv goes undercover you become the Primary." Munch put a hand on Olivia's arm. "I'll go talk to her. Fill me in when I get back." Benson nodded to him and he left the room, closing the door behind himself. It took him a minute to figure out where the teen had gone. He followed the sound of gloves hitting the punching bag in the locker room. Munch stood in the doorway of the locker room and watched the tiny blonde erratically hit the bag. Jess had no idea what she was doing; but the kid did have enough anger in her at this point to do some serious damage. "If you keep going like that you're going to break your wrists."

The comment did not stop the teenager. "So…"

Munch leaned against the doorway and crossed his arms over his chest. "So?"

Jess dropped her arms to her sides; the gloves on her hands hit the sides of her thighs as her arms fell. Her eyes went from the bag to John leaning in the doorway. "So…are you gonna just stand there and rag on me, Conspiracy, or are you gonna show me how to hit the bag?"

The detective chuckled as he uncrossed his arms, stood on two feet and walked toward Jess. "Take off the gloves. You have to learn how to wrap your hands first."

Jess put her left hand under her right armpit and yanked her hand out of the glove. She pulled the right glove off with her left hand and dropped both gloves to the floor. Munch grabbed some white tape off the top of the lockers on his way to Jess. "Hold out your hands."

The blonde did what he asked and they both looked down at her hands. The teen's knuckles' were beet red and already raised. If she had gone on much longer her skin would have torn and her knuckles would have bled. John looked from Jess's hands to her eyes, trying to get her to meet his. "Can I touch your hands? Or do you want to bind them?"

Jess looked up at the detective. As angry as she was her face soften at the kindness Munch had shown in asking her if he could touch her. "You can bind them."

John took Jess's right hand in his left. As he touched her knuckles she winced slightly. "You beat your knuckles pretty good here, Kid. Are you sure you want to keep going?"

The teenager met his eyes again. "It's either the bag or Olivia. The bag seems…less confrontational."

Munch nodded in agreement. He was going to save what he had to say about Benson for a minute. With his right hand the detective adhered the end of the tape to Jess's hand and started to slowly wind it around the small right hand. As he did John explained why he was winding the tape the way he was. When he was satisfied enough tape had been applied he bent down and bit the tape, severing what he had wound from the roll in his hand. Jess made a fist with her right hand. It was tight with the binding but she could do it. Munch took her left hand and repeated the same steps.

Once Jess's hands were bound the detective picked up the gloves off the floor and held them for the blonde. She pushed each hand into a glove and dropped her arms to her sides. "Now what?"

The detective put up his own fists in a 'put up your dukes' kind of way. Jess did the same. Munch then moved his feet so they were shoulder length apart and his left was slightly in front of his right. Jess mimicked him but looked awkwardly at him. "What's wrong? Is the tape too tight?"

Jess shook her head. "No, it just feels wrong. The way I'm standing it feels unbalanced."

John dropped his hands and moved behind Jess. "Stand with your feet together and your back straight." The teen did what he said and stood there very still for about thirty seconds. She was about to turn around and ask him what he was doing when he pushed her from behind. Jess's right foot went out in front of her to steady herself as she wheeled her head around and looked behind her. "What the hell was that for?"

Munch smiled slightly. "It's the only way to tell which foot you should lead with. Look down." Jess did and saw which of her feet was in front of her. "You felt unbalanced before because you were leading with your left foot, you need to lead with your right."

The detective and the tiny blonde resumed their stances. "When you punch with your left hand step into the punch with your left foot, like this." He stood with his feet shoulder length apart. As he threw a deliberate punch with his left hand into the punching bag he stepped forward with his left foot; making sure the foot landed on the linoleum floor just as his fist hit the bag. Munch hit the bag gently as his hands were not bound. He stood back and nodded to Jess. "Giver, Kid"

Jess stood up straight with her feet apart. As she punched with her right arm she stepped into the punch with her right foot. The kid had put her back into the punch and she actually moved the bag surprising well. With a raised brow Munch said. "Now switch and throw a left."

The teenager hopped back slightly, adjusted and threw her left arm out as she stepped forward with her left foot. Her hand made contact with the bag on its upswing, sending the bag back down but forcing Jess to draw her hand back in pain. Munch grabbed the bag to make it still. He looked at the young woman. "What did you learn?"

The blonde looked at him shaking her left hand. "That I can't throw a left?"

John looked at her over his glasses. "Which would be easier: Hitting the bag on the upswing like you just did." Munch moved the bag towards Jess. "Or on the downswing?" He moved the bag away and Jess threw another left gently at the bag as it moved away from her.

This garnered a grin from the teen. "Downswing, so I can use the momentum to my advantage instead of working against it."

The detective nodded and moved away from the bag. Jess threw a right punch followed by a left and then another right; making contact with the bag only on the downswing and always leading with the correct foot. Once the bag started swinging the punching became easier and the contact much more forgiving.

As Jess moved around the bag and continued to punch, Munch said his piece on Benson. "You know, Jess, Olivia is just trying to keep you safe. There was no way anyone in that room was going to agree to letting you go undercover."

Jess delivered a left punch to the bag. "I know that and I hate it!" She punched with her right hand and never looked at Munch. "I am the most qualified to do it and all of you act as if the task is beyond me!"

Munch watched the young woman hit the bag, so far she was still concentrating. "It isn't that we think it is beyond you. No one in that room thinks you're the sickafant. In fact, Stabler was going to come in here and ask you what that means." This garnered a small grin at the right side of Jess's lips. "You are sixteen years old. There are some tasks you will be allowed to perform and some you won't. You had better get used to that if you want to continue to work for TARU and the NYPD."

Jess's punching became harder and her breathing labored. "Maybe that's true. Maybe I overreacted." The teenager was concentrated more on her emotions than she was on the bag and her rhythm. She grit her teeth together. "She didn't have to throw me off the case!" The young woman punched the bag erratically again a couple of time before John grabbed the bag and held it, making it impossible for Jess to move the bag no matter how hard she hit it. The young blonde finally gave up and pushed her entire body against the bag and pushed off it with all her strength. With her arms still up by her chest the child looked up at Munch with tears in her eyes.

John looked down at Jess. "No, no she didn't. Liv loves you, Kid, and she would do anything to keep you safe. Maybe she overreacted. Maybe she felt as though she had no other choice. Don't kid yourself though; she didn't toss you off the case because she believes you are incapable."

"Who threw you off the case?" John turned around and Jess moved her gaze around the detective to the doorway. Dick Stabler stood with his arms crossed. All he had heard was that Jess had been kicked off the case but it was enough to make him angry.

Jess raised her right eyebrow. "Livie tossed me."

Dick's eyebrows almost leaped off is face. "You're kidding! Why?"

The blonde cocked her head slightly. "I'll tell you in a minute." She looked back at Munch. "I know she loves me. I love her, too. Don't kid _yourself_, Conspiracy; there isn't anything I wouldn't do for her either. Blood is thicker than water but love conquers all. I may have to learn to accept my place in the NYPD, but Livie needs to accept that I do have a job here. She would have never thrown Morales off a case; they would have talked it out." Jess shoved her right glove under her left armpit and yanked her hand out. She yanked her left hand out of the glove while holding it with her right hand. "She didn't even give me a chance, she just benched me. Primary or not, she should have heard me out and then put me in my place." Jess discarded the gloves on top of the bench in the middle of the room. She started to tear the tape off her hands as she looked at John. "Do you think I should still be on the case?"

Munch looked down at her as he thought for a minute. "Yes. You worked hard to give us what we have so far. Without you we would have nothing. You have earned a spot on the case for its entirety."

Jess nodded to him and smiled slightly. "Thanks for the boxing lesson, Conspiracy. You gave me a lot to think about."

John nodded. "Anytime, Kid. Good luck at your ball game tonight."

The teenager smiled at the detective as she threw the last bit of tape from her hands into the garbage. "Thanks. Good luck with the meeting and the rest of the case."

Munch nodded and Jess walked over to Dick. The pair kissed and left the station altogether. The detective joined the rest of his squad in the conference room; they had moved the large video board and the white boards in there while he had been talking to Jess.

**Washington Square Park**

**Southwest Corner**

**Monday August 17****th****, 13:57**

With Fin's connections in the Anti-Drug Unit a surveillance van was loaned to the SVU and was parked on MacDougal Street, facing 4th Street, on the southwest corner of Washington Square Park. Munch, Captain Cragen, Alex and Morales were all in the van listening to the wire Benson was wearing.

Fin was parked in an unmarked sedan on 4th Street facing east.

Elliot was Olivia's handler. He had changed into plain clothing he kept in his locker and he had given his partner the black baseball hat she needed. Stabler sat on a bench across from the chess table Benson was sitting at; he was pretending to read that day's copy of the New York Post. He had an ear bud in his left ear in order to hear the wire this partner was wearing.

As Olivia sat at the chess table and waited she thought about what she was doing. All the checks had been made. Everyone could hear her and Elliot and Fin could see her. It had been a while since she had been undercover. In some ways she wished she had been honest with Elliot about what had happened at the women's prison. Olivia also had pangs about Jess. Everything had happened so quickly. By the time she was out of the set-up meeting with everyone the young blonde had left the station house. She hated the way she had left things with her little girl.

A tall man with salt and pepper hair approached Benson. She made eye contact with him and he nodded his head. Stabler had his eyes on the white male and Fin used his binoculars to get a better look. Elliot spoke into the microphone on his wrist. "Look alive, this might be our man."

Olivia adjusted the black ball hat on her head as she nodded towards the man. He moved towards the table and sat down across from the brunette. "How do you know Ronald Blaze?"

The detective crossed her legs under the table. "He and I met at the place he used to work. Before he got laid off we worked together every day."

The man's expression was emotionless. "How do you know about the website?"

In the set-up meeting this afternoon all of the possible questions that Pharaoh could ask were asked and answered. The detectives and Dr. Huang had come up with a back-story for Olivia in order to make the role she was playing believable. "Ron showed me the website a couple of weeks ago. He told me that when those little boys were alone they were so sad." Olivia shook her head and looked almost teary eyed at the man. "I told Ron that I wanted to take care of them when they were alone. I asked him to ask you if I could but he kept telling me it wasn't the right time. I just want to hold them and make them feel loved."

Still with a stoic look on his face the man watched Olivia act. "Let's walk and talk."

Benson shrugged, uncrossed her legs and stood up. She waited for the man to stand up. He was wearing kaki coloured cargo pants and a white t-shirt. When he stood he was a full head taller than the detective; putting him at roughly six foot three or four. He put his right arm around Olivia's waist and gently guided her away from the table and down an open pathway. He put his left hand in his pants pocket. Benson stabilized her breathing and acted as unfazed as humanly possible.

As his partner was being led away from the chess table, Stabler watched over the top of the paper. He had to stay as far away from Olivia and the suspect as possible in order to not blow the sting; but he had to stay close enough to keep this partner safe. It was a fine line given how open the path was. Elliot stood up and folded the paper in his left hand. He started to follow them; he found it odd neither person he was following had spoken in over a minute.

The graying haired man finally looked at Olivia in his peripheral vision. "If you want to take care of my boys why did you mess with the website?"

Olivia looked up at the man; by doing so she could see behind her slightly and saw Elliot following them. She instantly felt safer, although it had not gone unnoticed by the brunette that the man had not taken his right hand off her back. "I wanted to get your attention. Ron also said that it was never the right time to ask you if I could take care of your boys. I thought if I got your attention I could help keep up the website and take care of those little boys."

The pair had walked out of the park at this point and where headed east on West 4th street. "Well, you got my attention. I don't even know your name."

Benson smiled towards the man in cargo pants. "Rachel Martin. And you are?"

The man's expression changed dramatically in the blink of an eye. His face twisted from expressionless to bat-shit crazy in an instant as his right hand flew out of his pants pocket. Olivia tried to push away from the man but it was too late, he clamped his hand over her mouth. She knew instantly that he had some type of fabric on his hands. Benson struggled against him as he spoke in a demonic but controlled tone. "Me? Oh I am your worst nightmare, Detective Benson."

Everything around Olivia started to look shapeless and dark. Benson heard Stabler screaming in the background. Instead of his voice getting louder it seemed to get softer and more distant. Olivia struggled against the man but darkness took over and her body went limp.

A side door to a black SUV opened beside the man and his newest victim. Two arms stretched out of the door and helped slide the lith body of the detective in. The man slid in with her and slammed the door shut.

Fin shoved the sedan into drive and floored the gas. He tried to block in the SUV but it pulled away from the curb five seconds before Fin could get near it.

"No, NO, NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!" Elliot screamed as he hit the back panel of the black vehicle with the fist of his left hand as it squealed away from the curb. Fin slammed on the brakes and yelled at Stabler through the open window. "Get in, man!"

Stabler ran off the sidewalk, vaulted onto the hood of the sedan, slid across the hood on his backside and landed on his feet on the passenger side of the Crown Vic. He wrenched the door open, flew in and before he even closed the door Fin hit the gas. They were three cars behind the black SUV that was headed East on West 4th Street. The detectives followed the van on 4th Street across Broadway and Center Street.

Elliot picked up the walkie-talkie that Fin had been using to communicate with their Captain in the surveillance van. "We are turning right on Bowery, headed south!"

Stabler looked at Fin. "Come on, Fin, drive it like you own it!"

Fin never took his eyes off the road or the SUV. "Stabler, man, where do you want me to go?!"

Elliot clicked onto the walkie-talkie again. "Still headed south, past Houston." He shot Fin another look. "That's my partner in there man, DRIVE!"

Fin veered left into on-coming traffic. As he did the window in the back door of the SUV opened and the necklace Olivia had been wearing was tossed out onto the street.

As Fin swerved back into the correct lane they were one car-length behind the SUV. Stabler hit the walkie-talkie. "We're making a left onto Delancey Street. The bastard is heading for the Williamsburg Bridge!" He clicked off the walkie-talkie. "You're gonan lose him, Fin!"

Fin squinted hard at the back of the SUV as it picked up speed and dodged other vehicles. Fin did the same until the black SUV clipped a mini van and sent it across two lanes of traffic forcing the sedan and the detectives to stop on the bridge. Stabler grabbed the handle of the car door, opened it and flew out. He hit the blacktop of the bridge running, heading towards the SUV. He jumped on the hood of a Honda Civic and from there vaulted onto the hood of a Nissan Altima that had also been forced to stop but it was no use. Elliot watched the black SUV disappear across the bridge, taking Olivia with it.

Stabler hopped off the hood of the car and stood on the hot asphalt staring at the spot he had lost sight of the SUV. He had his hands laced behind his head and he was breathing erratically. Fin was the first to join him, but it did not take long; Cragen, Morales, Munch and Alex were there within a minute.

The Captain was the first to speak. "He made us from the get-go. Elliot, there was nothing you could do."

Elliot never looked at any of them; he continued to be transfixed in front of himself. "I did this. I was supposed to keep her safe. I did this." Stabler said in an almost catatonic state.

Munch stared at the spot Stabler was looking at in disbelief. "Elliot, you can't blame yourself. We had no idea he had made us. This isn't on you; Olivia is on all of us."

Emotionless Stabler continued his stare. "Munch, that's my partner in the back of that SUV. I let this happen, I was her handler…I did this…" Elliot finally took his eyes off the spot, turned to the right and vomited on the blacktop.

**15:57**

Fin had called his contacts in the Anti-Drug Unit and they had come down to the Williamsburg Bridge to pick up the van. After he told them they had an officer missing they did not hesitate to come down and grab up the vehicle. The detectives, Captain and A.D.A. had argued on the bridge over what to do. Should they call in Detective Benson's abduction? Order air assistance; send out an APB, order additional units to help locate the black SUV? Or should they keep the abduction in-house for now? Find Olivia and Pharaoh on their own? The fear of brining attention to Pharaoh, his website and the case was that he could become more volatile. He could torture his victims further on his website, become more violent. It was decided that the squad would keep Benson's abduction quiet…for now.

Cragen had driven down to Washington Square Park from the squad in an unmarked sedan with Alex. Once they had dealt with their portion of the mess on the bridge, the detectives and their Captain were dismissed. Fin drove Munch and Morales up to the squad in the Crown Vic he was driving while Cragen took Alex and Elliot in his vehicle. The ride was silent between the Captain, A.D.A. and the detective. Alex stared out the passenger side window as tears fell from her eyes. There was no way to know where Olivia was or what the man that took her was doing to her.

As both cars rolled into the motor pool in front of the One-Six a horde of reporters and camera people swarmed them. Cragen and Fin did the best they could to park the cars. Alex looked at the Captain. "Don, how can they already know a detective is missing?"

Cragen shook his head. "I have no idea. We kept it on the down-low at the bridge. The only people that know are Fin's guys in the Anti-Drug Unit."

Everyone got out of the vehicles and faced the reporters. "Captain Cragen! Captain Cragen! Who is on Evan Winthrop's case? Is it the same detective on the other five victims' cases?"

Another reporter yelled, "Captain, what is your squad doing to shut down the child pornography website?!"

The individuals leaving the cars and trying to get into the station formed a group and muscled their way through the scrum of camera people and reporters.

"Captain Cragen, how close is your squad to catching the people responsible for the kidnapping and sexual assault of the six boys?!"

One of the reporters spotted Alex. "A.D.A. Cabot is the District Attorney involved in the case? Are you close to charging someone?!"

Once they had pushed their way through to the doors everyone filed inside but Cragen and Alex. They turned and faced the cameras and reporters. Cragen was the first to speak. "The Manhattan Special Victims Unit has no comment on the on-going investigations of the child pornography website or the kidnapping of the six children on the site."

Alex's face was tear stained and once the Captain had finished speaking she almost said anything. She swallowed hard. "The District Attorney's office has no comment at this time on any of these cases."

The pair turned and walked through the doors of the station, joining the others that had waited for them. Once upstairs and in their own bullpen the true gravity of the afternoon's events hit everyone. Stabler stood in front of his desk and looked across to where Olivia should be. Rage set in. With one swipe of his arms across his desk he sent everything on it crashing to the floor on the right side of it. "Fuck! How did he make us!? How did he get Olivia!?"

Everyone in the room turned and looked at him but no one said anything. Alex walked up to him. "El, we need to concentrate on getting Olivia back. This isn't your fault."

Stabler wiped his right hand over his jaw. "How are we going to find her?! We don't even know where Pharaoh took her! We have no idea where that prick is or what he is doing to her! And this_ is_ my fault Alex, don't kid yourself. I should have stayed closer!"

Fin looked at Stabler. "If you had followed any closer Pharaoh would have made you. No one knew he already had."

Elliot shook his head. "It should have been me. I should have never let her go undercover."

Alex looked at him with deep blue eyes. "Then it would have been you in that SUV, Elliot. A life is a life. Liv was the only one of you capable of doing what we thought Pharaoh was going to ask. You had to send her; there was no choice here, Elliot."

The sound of a Guns N' Rose's song interpreted the room.

"Oh, Oh, Oh  
Sweet child o' mine  
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh  
Sweet love of mine"

Alex looked at Elliot; they both knew who was calling. The room fell silent as the tall blonde took her cell phone out of her pants suit pocket. She stared down at it not believing what she saw. Her phone wasn't ringing. She turned and followed the music; it was coming from the top drawer of Olivia's desk. Alex opened the drawer and picked up the cell phone. 'Jessie' was the name showing on the screen as the caller. She looked up at Elliot with tears in her eyes. "It's Jess. Liv and I have the same ringtone for her."

The phone eventually stopped ringing in the A.D.A.'s hand. The phone vibrated thirty seconds later indicating a text message. Alex flipped opened the phone to read it out loud. "I'm sorry. I love you, please come to my b-game 2nite. Virtual hug" Tears ran down Alex's face. How was she ever going to tell their daughter that Olivia was missing?

Cragen took a hold of the situation. "Alright people, conference room. We all need to sit down and have a long talk about what our next moves are going to be."

The detectives, Morales from TARU and the A.D.A. followed the Captain into the conference room. Alex closed the drawer to Olivia's desk but kept her cell phone.

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Olivia Benson's Residence**

**Monday August 17****th****, 13:35**

Dick and Jess had flipped each other Claddagh rings about two weeks after meeting. Their hearts had always been ready for the love they felt for each other. Their minds, Jess's more than Dick's had needed more time. He had been incredibly tolerant and patient with his girlfriend when it came to the physical part of their relationship. Jess had been honest with Dick about everything that had happened to her. While her story was difficult to listen to, the young man decided instantly he would let Jess set the tone in the relationship when it came to the physical part. Dick had been honest and explained this to her. The short blonde had instantly felt more at peace and relaxed about being a girlfriend.

There were physical things Dick never did to Jess. He had either been told or had asked before attempting anything. The young man knew never to come up behind his girlfriend and touch her, never call her Jessica and never touch her backside. The last thing he knew never to touch was her neck. Dick always found it strange that Alex and Olivia could do this but no one else.

For the first month and a half there had been very limited physical contact between the two teenagers. Holding hands, hugging and the occasional French-kissing session was about the extent of Jess's tolerance. Dick had accepted this with the hope that one day soon she would be capable of more.

To say Jess was confused when it came to her and Dick was putting it mildly. Her mind told her one thing and her libido told her something else. It was quite a mind-fuck how her body betrayed her every chance it got. There had come a point a month and half earlier when the kissing had not been enough. Jess had forced herself on top of Dick, straddling his legs and pinning him to the back of the couch they had been sitting on. The kissing had turned more passionate as Jess ran her hands through Dick's hair. He had ran his hands gently over her back and rested them on the small of her back. Jess had grinned over Dick's crotch with her own. The session had ended there that day, but had progressed in the days that followed. Kissing and grinding became foreplay soon and Jess took over the physical part of the teenagers' relationship.

It was on rare occasion that Jess had any time alone with Dick. The two had stolen moments here and there but today…was a rarity. They had all the time in the world. Dick had been able to take a half-day at his summer job and now that Jess was off the SVU case she at least had the rest of the day to lick her wounds. She had explained to Dick what happened between her and Olivia. He was sympathetic to Jess but confessed that he was glad his girlfriend was no longer working pretty much exclusively with the Special Victims Unit. When they had reached the elevator of the apartment building and the doors had closed, Jess practically jumped Dick. She faced him, pushed all of her body weight against him and pinned him to the mirrored side of the elevator. They kissed and Jess grinded against him. They were alone in the elevator but Dick was unsure if company really would have stopped his girlfriend from her deviant behavior. The bell dinged and the doors opened. Jess pulled away quickly, grabbed Dick's hand and they left the elevator for the apartment.

Once inside, the teenagers went to Jess's room. She connected her iPhone to her computer and it started to play Latin beats. She had grabbed some from Olivia's iPod and procured some of her own along the way. There was something about the music that made the rawness of her actions seem sensual. While their routine was different almost every time the driving force behind them was always the same person, Jess. She took great pleasure in stripping Dick of every thread of clothing he had on. She pushed him onto the bed. The blonde pulled her own shirt over her head and tossed it on the floor of her room, next to where she had discarded Dick's clothing. Jess took her boyfriend's face in her hands kissed him deeply. Once the kiss was broken their eyes meet. "Take my bra off."

Dick did what he was told, he always did. Once the bra was unclasped Jess shook it off and it fell to her feet. The teenagers had never broken eye contact. The young woman nodded at Dick and he finally looked down from her eyes to take in her breasts. They were large on her small frame and they were mesmerizing. Dick took the left one in his mouth and sucked on it. Jess put her hands behind his neck and pushed his head harder into her. She moaned as Dick pinched her right nipple between the thumb and index finger of his right hand.

She had been a good teacher and he had listened well. The blonde squeezed the back of her boyfriend's neck. "Undo my jeans."

The young man instantly halted the attention he was giving his girlfriend's breasts and looked down her flat belly to her navel and then below that to the top of her jeans. He brought his hands to the black leather belt and undid it. He did the same to the button on the jeans and unzipped them. Dick looked up into the now deep green eyes that were staring down at him. Jess nodded. "Go ahead."

He pulled the jeans down and took Jess's string bikini panties with them. The blonde stepped out of them and stood before her boyfriend. Dick was already half erect just at the sight of his gorgeous girlfriend. Jess smiled at the sight, she enjoyed the power she had over him. The tiny blonde squeezed the back of her boyfriend's neck again. "Lick me."

Dick looked up at her and saw the devilish smile that played across her lips. He knew she was having fun. He wasn't about to complain. He was just happy to be in her presence. As Jess put one foot up on her bed she pushed Dick's head closer to her but let him come the rest of the way on his own. The instant she felt the velvety touch of his tongue on her center she moaned. He continued to lick her and she arched her back as her eyes rolled back into her skull. Dick knew how far he could go; he knew exactly where to touch her. At first their lovemaking had been very calculated and instructional. Now…now it was pure ecstasy. He held onto the small of her back with his left hand and moved his right towards his mouth. He never touched her thighs as he inserted his index finger into her sex.

"Uhhhhh….more…" Came out of Jess's mouth as she leaned harder into her boyfriend's touch. Dick slid his middle finger into Jess, who was literally dripping at this point. The pair developed a rhythm, incorporating the beats from the music and their own panting as Dick slid his fingers in and out of Jess while he licked and sucked at her center.

Between Dick's fingers and tongue, the music and her own selfish desire Jess almost came right there on her boyfriend's skillful hand. She took her hands from around the back of his neck, placed them on his shoulders and pushed Dick firmly back onto the bed. As his fingers slipped out of Jess she cried out slightly, almost wishing she had let him continue for another minute. Dick shimmed up towards the head of the bed. He placed his head on a pillow and watched his girlfriend snake her way across the bed with a playfully evil smile on her face and a condom wrapper in her teeth. She looked at him as if he was her lunch and he loved every second of it - clearly, as his member was now standing at full attention.

Jess found her way up to Dick, ripped the condom wrapper open and slid the condom on his penis. She then straddled his abdomen with her center and grabbed his hands in hers. She forced his arms out at his sides and pinned them to the bed as she slid her center across his penis. It jolted at the sensation and made Jess giggle at the power she had, sprawled on top of her boyfriend. The young woman wiggled and Dick grew harder. Jess licked her lips as she expertly moved her body. She felt the young man slide inside her with ease. The blonde moved her hips slowly and deliberately at first wanting to savor the first few strokes.

"Oh…fuck." Dick's eyes rolled back in his head.

The rhythm came back to them quickly, neither being able to contain themselves. Jess had Dick pinned as their fingers intertwined. She bucked her hips against his thrusting as he slid in and out of her. It felt so good.

"Uh, uh, uh…harder, Stabler."

Dick thrust harder against Jess's hips. She finally sat up, taking him in fully. They both cried out with pleasure. Jess arched her back and set her hands behind her on Dick's knees for leverage as she thrust. Dick pushed his left hand against Jess's raised abdomen, applying pressure where he knew she wanted it. He took his right hand and rubbed her already swollen center.

"Uh, uh, uh…yes…" Jess's eyes rolled back in her head as she felt the hair on her head tickle her backside. It was a sign that she was fully arched and had completely given herself to Dick.

"Uh, uh, uh…Shit. O'Malley I'm going to come."

Jess concentrated on her own organism but pleaded with Dick. "Uh, uh…no…Stabler, don't. Hold on…don't stop…" Dick pushed harder against Jess's abdomen.

"Oh fuck! Then stop doing that."

The blonde let out a throaty giggle. "Ahahahaha…stop…doing…what…?" She panted through the thrusting as she squeezed Dick's member with her sex on purpose.

Dick rubbed Jess's center faster. He could tell she was close the more often she squeezed him and pushed him inside her. "THAT! Stop…doing…that!"

Jess growled at her boyfriend, sounding nothing like herself. "You love it don't you? DON'T…come…yet."

Hearing his girlfriend speak like that was unbelievably hot for Dick. He so badly wanted to obey but he had very little control over himself. "I'm trying…O'Malley…I know you are close. Come…for…me."

The young woman was wrapped up in her own thoughts. She was close, VERY close. She was almost in tears because she had held on for so long. Jess could tell by the tone of Dick's voice he was only going to be good for another minute at the most. He held on for her and THAT made her come.

"DON'T stop! Fuck…me…Stabler…"

Jess howled with pleasure as she came. A beat later so did Dick. It was amazing that at such a young age both teenagers had enough control to make each other come the way they did. The blonde fell against her boyfriend's chest, his member still inside her. He moaned at her movement above him. She wiggled around slightly as he ran his fingers gently up and down her back. Jess finally squeezed Dick out of herself and rolled off of him and onto her side. She curled up next to him, with her right arm draped over his chest. He had his left arm around her and was holding her close to him. They fell asleep to the music and the smell of the each other.

**Manhattan's SVU Conference Room**

**Monday August 17****th****, 16:18**

Everyone had taken a seat around the far side of the large table in the room. They faced the media board and white board. Captain Cragen had taken the lead at this point, Stabler was in no state to organize the squad. He tapped a couple of keys on the keyboard of the media center and it lit up. Pictures of the six male victims appeared on the screens. The Captain typed a little more and a picture of Benson appeared on one of the screens. Underneath her picture, like the other six, he had typed one word: abducted. Cragen turned to the people before him. "This case just became a red-ball. Not only will the press be camped outside until we catch Pharaoh and shut the website down but we now have a detective that has been taken hostage. I am ordering that none of you go home, everyone stays. We eat, sleep and breathe this case until we have Pharaoh in custody and our victims, all of them, are safe. All overtime will be signed off on. We play this case CLOSE to home. No one talks to the press. It never gets out that Olivia is missing. Now, what do we have on Pharaoh?"

The detectives looked at each other but no one said anything. Cragen narrowed his eyes at them. "Well, don't all talk at once."

Fin raised his brow. "We have nothing on Markus Pharaoh. Blaze said that they had been friends since high school which means that Pharaoh could only be four years older or younger than Blaze. No one with that name and age range has a driver's license, property or vehicles."

Munch looked up at the Captain. "The guy doesn't even have a social insurance number. As far as the United States of America is concerned Markus Pharaoh in his early thirties doesn't even exist."

Stabler stared past his Captain to the video monitors behind him. He focused on the picture of Olivia. "We hung all our hopes on the meeting with Pharaoh himself because we have nothing else."

Cragen looked back at all of them. "Well, we better get something, fast. Blaze lives in Chelsea. Pharaoh had us meet him in Washington Square Park those are pretty close geographically." Cragen turned and hit a few more keys. This procured a map of New York City and the boroughs on one of the monitors. There were red circles around the location where each victim was taken. He drew a red circle around the southwest corner of Washington Square Park. "The first six victims were taken from all over the city. It doesn't look like Pharaoh is particularly partial to snatching his victims from any area of the city. I suggest we look into warehouses and office spaces between the Park and Blaze's place in Chelsea."

Munch looked from the Captain to the others in the room. "Pharaoh made a bee line for the Williamsburg Bridge today. It would have taken him right into Brooklyn we should be looking into warehouses and office spaces there as well; places big enough to house the seven victims but also remote enough not to draw attention."

Cragen nodded. "Good call." He turned his attention to the A.D.A., who looked shell-shocked. "Alex, would it be possible to set up a meeting with Ronald Blaze?"

Alex had been startled out of her own thoughts at the sound of her name being called. "Uh, yeah. I mean I can ask but his lawyer and I battled it out at the arraignment this morning. It's doubtful at this point that his lawyer would even agree to a meeting with me, never mind with some detectives."

The Captain crossed his arms over his chest. "We're out of options here, Alex. We need Blaze to tell us everything he knows. Time has run out on this case."

Alex nodded. She still held Olivia's cell phone in her right hand, resting on the top of the table. It had not moved since she sat down. "I'll see what I can do."

Cragen's eyes fell from the A.D.A.'s eyes to the cell phone in her hand. One last item needed to be addressed before he dismissed the squad. "What do we want to do about Jess?"

Everyone looked at each other and then settled on Alex. She looked to all of them. "I want to take her. I'll keep her with me for as long as I can." Alex looked down at the phone. "I have no legal right to Jess. If it gets out that Olivia is missing DCFS will take Jess into their custody until Olivia returns. I can't do that to her."

The weight of the statement hung in the room. How long could they keep the detective's kidnapping a secret? Not only that but Alex was facing a possible sanction from the bar association if it came to light that she did not hand over Jessica O'Malley to her social worker when her legal guardian went missing.

The Captain looked from Alex to everyone else in the room. "We keep what happened to Olivia to ourselves for now. That includes not telling Jess about what happened today. Is that understood?"

Everyone in the room nodded. "We will meet again in the morning to discuss progress. You get anything, any lead at all you call it in. Let's go people." Cragen dismissed everyone and they immediately got to work.

**146 Banker Street**

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn**

**Monday August 17****th****, 16:36**

As her eyes opened it appeared as though she was looking through a pin-hole sized opening. Olivia fought hard to become more aware of her surroundings. The room itself came into focus first and then the six pairs of eyes looking at her. Benson recognized the eyes and the faces; SVU's six tiny victims were looking back at the detective as she woke up. How long had she been out for? What had happened? Where was Jess?

Olivia tried to move; tried to rub the sleep away from her eyes but her arms would not meet her face. The detective's wrists were bound with rope and tied to the iron slats of the headboard of the bed she had been placed on. Unable to remember how she got to where she was, she spoke to the boys in front of her. "Are you boys okay?"

The children continued to stare at her. Trey Kingston, the first of the boys to have been kidnapped spoke. "Who are you?"

The detective's face softened at the sound of the child's voice. It was soft and sweet and reminded her of Jess's tone when she was on the verge of sleep. "My name is Olivia. I'm a police officer. When was the last time you guys ate?" Asking if they were okay had be the wrong question to ask; they weren't okay, they weren't even close.

Trey answered for all of the boys. "He feeds us three times a day. Dinner will be coming soon."

Olivia looked curiously at Trey. "How do you know dinner will be coming soon?" When she had scanned the room she found no clocks anywhere, just beds and windows that were about twelve feet above the floor.

Nathan Chan, the third boy kidnapped answered her. "The shadows are getting longer in the room. Dinner always comes when the shadows are long."

The boys were smart. They had learned to adapt to their confinement. Olivia looked around at them. "Can you untie me?"

The tiny victims looked amongst themselves but eventually their eyes landed on Trey Kingston and Evan Winthrop. The two boys shrugged at each other and looked at the detective on the bed. Trey and Evan walked to opposite sides of the bed and each of them worked on the ropes binding Olivia's wrists. It took a few minutes but the boys managed to free the brunette. She rubbed her wrists one at a time with the opposite hand. "Trey and Evan, thank you very much."

The boys moved closer to the bed and the detective. Kyle Ryan looked into Olivia's eyes. He looked as though he might burst into tears at any moment. "You know our names?"

Olivia was overcome with emotion. She had to get these children out of here, out of Markus Pharaoh's hands. She spoke softly to the victims. "Yes I do. The man that took you away from your families he took me away from mine, too. I'm going to try and get you boys out of here." Olivia started to get up. She wanted to take stock of the room in order to formulate an escape plan for the boys.

Kyle Ryan was the first to break. He leapt onto the detective and threw his arms around her waist. "No…please don't leave us!" He wailed.

The brunette put her arms around the little boy and rubbed his back. "Okay, it's okay. I'm not going anywhere." Olivia looked around at the rest of the victims. They had moved closer to her. They wanted the comfort of their mothers and Olivia was the closest thing any of them had seen in what seemed like forever. "I won't leave any of you."

A deadbolt slid out of the door and Olivia heard chains scrapping across the metal. The door opened and the detective came face-to-face with her captor, Markus Pharaoh. She picked the little boy off of herself and placed him behind her. The other victims followed suit, jumping up onto the bed and crouched behind the detective. Benson narrowed her eyes at Pharaoh. "Leave them alone, Pharaoh."

Markus looked lovingly at the brunette. "I have no intentions for my sons tonight." He cocked his head to the right as he walked farther into the room. "Tomorrow though…tomorrow, Detective Benson, is a different story."

Pharaoh came within five feet of Olivia. She instinctively stood up and spread her arms out with her palms turned back towards the six boys on the bed cowering behind her. With all the courage she had the brunette looked squarely at the predator. "Over my dead body, Markus."

The man smiled slightly as he walked closer to detective. Without breaking eye contact he swiftly took his right hand and back-handed Olivia across the face. "No, no, no Detective. I have plans for you, too."

Olivia was taken off-guard by the slap and had stumbled slightly to the left as Pharaoh had followed through with the back of his right hand. Before she could regain her balance Markus did it for her. He grabbed her by the throat with his right hand and forced her to look up at him. "I heard what you did to Ronald." Pharaoh looked down at Olivia's chest and then back into her eyes. He snickered. "Now that I see them I can't really blame Ron. You have a nice set, Olivia."

Benson's thoughts immediately flashed back almost two years to Sealview. The detective's eyes went wild and her breathing became labored. The memories of her sexual assault flooded over her.

"Leave her alone!" Trey Kingston shouted at Pharaoh.

The detective snapped out of her nightmare and back to what was unfolding in front of her. She regained some of her composure. "You like what you see, huh? Why don't you leave the boys alone? I can do whatever you want, Markus." Benson would do whatever it took to make sure her victims were left alone.

Markus tightened his grip on Olivia's throat. The detective winced at the pain as her larynx was being crushed shut. "I have my own plans for you, Detective. You thought you were smart enough to shut down my website? Well, now you can maintain the site and keep the NYPD away from it!" Pharaoh threw Olivia's head back and let go of the stranglehold he had on her neck. He turned on his left foot and walk out of the room calmly. When he was outside the door he turned to the right and pulled a cart with trays on it into the doorway. He pushed the cart into the room and looked to the six little boys on the bed. "Goodnight boys." Markus shut the door, threw the deadbolt and chains across the door, securing his stars and his newest employee.

Five of the tiny victims filed off the bed and sat with Olivia on the floor of the room. Evan Winthrop walked over to the cart and pulled it closer to everyone on the floor. He passed out six dinners on separate trays and took the last one for himself. He sat across from the detective and the seven of them ate dinner.

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Detective Olivia Benson's Residence **

**Monday August 17****th****, 17:30**

Dick and Jess woke up a little before five o'clock. The blonde showered while her boyfriend packed up her baseball gear and set it in a bag at the door to the apartment. Jess walked into her bedroom wearing her uniform. She picked her iPhone up off her desk and checked it for messages. Dick was sitting at the desk checking his email on his girlfriend's computer. "That's like the tenth time you've checked your phone. What are you waiting for?"

Jess sighed and tossed the phone down on the desk beside the keyboard Dick had his fingers on. "I'm waiting for Livie to text me back."

Dick turned his head towards the blonde. "O'Malley, you have to learn that once that squad is on a case that's all they live and breathe. It can be days before I see my dad if they are kneedeep in a case."

Jess looked down at him. "It's not like that with Livie!" The blonde lowered her voice. "She texts me back. She always texts me back."

The brown-haired young man looked up at his girlfriend. "Okay, okay. I'm sure she'll be at your game, she hasn't missed one yet."

The young woman nodded her head. "You're right. She'll be there."

Dick smiled wearily at Jess. He hoped like hell Olivia would be at the game, but he knew what to expect. He highly doubted the detective would make the game, his father rarely made any of his growing up. "You want me to braid your hair?"

Jess rolled her eyes and smirked back at Dick. "Oh right, Stabler…like you can braid hair!"

The smile on Dick's face became genuine. "O'Malley, I have three sisters…I dare anyone to beat me in a braiding contest." He stood up and kissed his girlfriend.

The blonde slapped Dick on the backside and the two of them giggled until their lips finally broke apart. Jess smiled at Dick. "Come, let's go. I'll get Livie to braid my hair at the game."

The weary smile made its second appearance on Dick's face. As they left the apartment he prayed Olivia would be at the game.

**Chelsea Park**

**West 27****th**** Street and 10****th**** Avenue **

**North West Baseball Diamond**

**Monday August 17****th****, 18:15**

Jess dropped the bag of equipment on the fine gravel in the caged dugout of the ball diamond her team was using that night. The blonde reached down the front of her jersey and took her iPhone out of her bra. She ran her thumb over the screen and stared down at it. Nothing. No messages or missed calls. Shit. The teenager scanned the small set of bleachers behind the dugout. Dick was there but Olivia wasn't. Jess held the phone in one hand and unzipped the bag with the other. She grabbed her glove, hat and a ball.

"Hey, Shorty"

The blonde knew exactly who was addressing her. Everyone on the team called her Shorty, partly because she stood all of five feet tall and partly because she played shortstop. Jess smiled and turned around to face the strawberry blonde woman. "Hey Cass, what's up?"

Casey Novak smiled back at the young blonde. "Not much. You wanna warm up together?"

Jess nodded her head. "Yeah sure. I'm just waiting for Livie, I need her to braid my hair."

Casey shrugged. "I can braid your hair."

The younger woman walked to the end of the dugout on the inside and Casey followed her on the outside. Jess scanned the stands again. The detective was still missing. "Thanks, Cass, but I want Livie to do it."

The writer knew something was up. She knew how much it meant to her shortstop that Olivia Benson came to their games. To the detective's credit, she had not missed one yet. Most of the time Elliot Stabler dropped her off and picked her up, but she always showed up. There was something in Jess's voice that led Casey to believe that day's game meant more. "What happened between you and Liv?"

Jess's right eyebrow shot up as she smirked at the taller woman. "What makes you think something happened between us?"

Casey smiled. "You're clutching your cell as if it was your first-born child and you've checked the bleachers twice for Olivia in less than two minutes. So I'll ask you again Shorty…what happened between you and the detective?"

The teenager rolled her eyes. "You know Ally runs arguments all the time with me, right? And between Munch and Elliot at the stationhouse I am constantly getting grilled about everything. What on earth makes you think you're going to get what happened between me and Livie out of me?"

Casey was intelligent and had a knack for being able to ascertain information without seeming intrusive. She sympathetically smiled down at Jess. "For starters, I at least know now that something did in fact happen. So…do you want to elaborate on what happened?"

Jess pursed her lips. She had been had without even feeling wronged. "You know Cass, you're a pretty smart cookie." The shorter woman sighed. "We had a fight. I was working on a case with the squad and things got a little scary. Livie and I argued over how involved I should be in the case and she kicked me off it completely."

The strawberry blonde raised her brow. "Liv would have to feel pretty strongly to kick you off a case." Casey looked deeper into Jess's green eyes for answers. All she found was guilt. "Look, Shorty, Liv loves you and she will forgive you for whatever you said. She'll be here; she hasn't missed a game yet."

Jess looked back at the stands. The detective was nowhere to be found however Alex was talking to Dick. "Ally's here, that can't be good." The two women walked over to the bleachers. The shorter blonde hugged the taller one and kissed her on the left side of her neck. Jess looked at Alex. "Sooo…ummm…where's Livie?"

Alex sucked in some air and tied to appear as normal as possible. "She and Elliot are on a detail now."

The teenager shook her head. "Detail? What the hell does that mean?"

The A.D.A. took Jess's right hand in hers. "It means that a case is developing and they have to work. Liv really wanted to be here Jess; you know how much she loves watching you play. She just can't be here tonight."

Jess's eyes shut slowly as she gradually expelled a breath. Alex knew Jess felt guilty about what she had said and how she had acted towards the detective. The older blonde was also positive the tiny kid standing in front of her felt her actions earlier that afternoon where a direct result of why Olivia was a no-show at the game. "Jessie, open your eyes." The child's eyes opened deliberately and met the sky blue ones looking down at her. "Livie wanted to be here. You have to believe me she really did." It wasn't a lie. Alex knew Olivia would have done anything to be at the game. "Turn around, sweetheart, and I'll braid your hair."

She turned around and let Alex French-braid her hair. "When will Livie be done her detail?"

Alex sighed. "I'm not sure, Jessie. Sometimes these things take time."

Casey looked down at Jess, who had sat down with her back to Alex on a lower beach-type seat on the bleaches in order for the tall blonde to braid her hair. "Shorty, back when I worked with Olivia and Elliot sometimes they would be out of contact for a couple of days. If a case breaks they are ordered by Captain Cragen to stay on the case."

Dick looked between the women. "O'Malley, I tried to tell you that earlier. Sometimes I don't hear from my dad for days."

The older blonde was done with the braid. Jess stood up and stepped down from the stands to face the people that were talking to her. "This is different. Livie texts me, she always does." Jess turned and walked away.

Casey looked at Alex, who was watching Jess walk back to the diamond. Alex felt the eyes of the strawberry blonde on her and met her gaze. "Is it different?"

Alex shook her head. Casey was a writer for The Times. She knew Jess and Olivia trusted the ex-A.D.A. but Alex didn't. She didn't know her. "Casey, you know how it is in that squad. Cragen gave his orders this afternoon."

The writer nodded her head. "Yes, I remember. I'm gonna go warm up with Jess."

The game was a good one. Jess made two good catches and got on base three times. After the game Casey, Dick, Jess and Alex went out for dinner. After which the blondes said goodnight to Casey and Dick. Alex took Jess's hand in hers as they walked to the A.D.A.'s BMW X5. "You wanna have a sleepover up at my place tonight?" Alex tried to sound excited about it. The truth was she could not bear to spend the night at Olivia's apartment without her.

Jess shrugged. "Yeah sure, that would be cool. Can we pick up some of my stuff at home first though?"

Alex smiled down at the young woman. "Of course"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: The Hand that Rocks the Cradle**

**310 Central Park West**

**A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot's Residence **

**Monday August 17****th****, 21:38**

Jess had drawn herself a bath very soon after arriving at Alex's condo. The A.D.A. had some work to do so she did not question the shorter blonde's tactic to immediately separate herself from the taller blonde. Jess had been soaking in the tub for thirty minutes. Even the incredibly tanned parts of her body had a redish hue in the deep brown from the heat of the water. She had a lot to think about.

When the pair had gone to Olivia's to pack up some clothing for Jess, one of the things the teen wanted was a hoodie of the detective's. Upon looking in Olivia's dresser for the college hoodie, Jess noticed that half the drawers in the dresser where empty…Alex's half. It was the same story with the closet. That's when it hit Jess…Alex had moved out. When had that happened? Jess looked down at her phone on the floor of her bathroom, no messages from Livie. The tiny blonde started to cry again.

Alex looked up from her paperwork and over at the clock on the table to the left of her desk. She realized she had not heard a single word from Jess in over forty-five minutes. Normally the kid would be begging the A.D.A. for a case file to read. Alex stood up and walked out of the den. When she came to the door of Jess's room it was open. She walked through it. "Jess, where are you?"

Jess froze in the water. She cleared her throat as quietly as possible and wiped the tears away from her eyes. "I'm in the tub. What's up Ally?"

The tall blonde padded barefoot across the hardwood floor to just outside the 'Jack and Jill' bathroom. "Can I come in?"

The teenager pulled the shower curtain on the outside of the tub across the rod so that Alex would not see her. "Yeah, sure."

She walked in and sat on the lid of the toilet. Alex saw Jess's cell phone on the tiled floor of the bathroom next to the tub. "What's up, kiddo?"

"Not much"

"Thought I'd come in here and make sure you hadn't drowned."

Jess smiled through the new tears that had welled up in her eyes. "I'm fine"

Alex knew she wasn't. "Jessie…sweetheart look at me."

The kid drew the shower curtain back enough that she and Alex could see each other's faces. "Jessie, baby, talk to me. What's the matter?"

Jess looked down at the phone on the tiles. She spoke just above a whisper. "I miss Livie."

The A.D.A. looked down lovingly at the young woman. "I know you do. Once her detail is over she'll be back. You know that, right?" The teen nodded to her. It broke Alex's heart to lie to Jess, but the alternative was much worse.

If Alex was not going to fess up to moving out, then Jess would force her hand. "Ally, if I get out of the tub now will you take out my braid?" She was quite capable of taking it out herself but she wanted the taller blonde's undivided attention.

Alex smiled at Jess. "Absolutely. I'll wait in your room." She padded out of the bathroom, closed the door and sat on Jess's bed.

Once Jess was done in the bathroom she opened the door and walked out into her bedroom. She walked around the bed and took Alex's hand in hers. She pulled the A.D.A. to the side of the bed and then off completely. She let go of her hand and stood in front of her, with her back to the taller woman. Alex slowly pulled the hair tie from the bottom of the braid and stretched it over her hand and onto her slender wrist. The sun had gone down and the city was lit now by artificial light. Jess stared out the floor to ceiling windows that made up one side of her bedroom. With the bedside light on it was hard to see out the windows, everything in the room was reflecting against the glass. She could see herself and Alex perfectly in the windows. "Can I ask you something, Ally?"

As she ran her fingers through Jess's braid it started to unravel. "Yes, of course."

Jess looked at the taller blondes' refection in the window in order to see her face. "When were you going to tell me you moved out of Livie's place?"

"I uh…I mean we were uhh…", Alex stuttered as she tried to collect her thoughts. She continued to run her fingers through the braid. Alex felt herself become unraveled. She sighed. "Jess, Olivia and I were going to tell you tonight at dinner. With Liv on her detail and Dick and Casey at dinner I didn't think it was a good idea to tell you tonight."

"When did you move out?" Jess asked as she continued to stare at their reflections in the window, willing Alex to meet her gaze.

She continued to run her hands through the last bit of the braid on top of the shorter blonde's head. Alex looked over Jess's head and at the window. She realized she and Jess could see each other. "This morning. I packed last night and I left this morning." She saw the first tear roll down Jess's cheek.

Jess couldn't help the tears she was shedding. Even though she knew Olivia and Alex were breaking up it hurt to see the older blonde's things missing from the place she called home. "So it's really over between you two?" Jess chocked.

Alex ran her fingers over the freed ringlets, shaking them loose and making Jess's hair look the way it normally did. "Yes it is. I'm so sorry, Jess."

The child turned around and hugged Alex tightly. The A.D.A. rubbed Jess's back and kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I moved out. I'm sorry all this is happening. Please believe me when I say Olivia and I never meant for any of this to happen."

"I do believe you. It's just…hard." Jess cried.

"I know, sweetheart, I know." Alex held the young woman tighter in her arms. She started to sway slightly too, completely unconsciously. Jess's crying subsided but Alex continued to rub her back. "Why don't you un-pack your bag and come to my bedroom. I'll bring my case files in there and you can start from the beginning of my new case."

A half smiled played across Jess's face. "Sounds good to me." She let go of Alex and looked up at her. "I love you."

Alex smiled back at her. "I love you, too. Meet me in my room."

Jess unpacked and Alex grabbed her files from the den. The pair met in the taller blonde's bedroom. The A.D.A. had not noticed earlier but she and the young woman standing in front of her were clad in almost identical outfits; cotton sleep pants and spaghetti strapped tank tops. Jess had a college hoodie of Olivia's and her cell phone in her left hand and a pen and stack of Post-It notes in her right hand as she entered the bedroom and stood beside Alex in her bed. "Can I lay with you?"

Alex looked at Jess over her glasses and smiled. "That's what I was thinking."

The teenager climbed up on the king-sized bed, over Alex and files that were scattered over the comforter and crawled to the other side of the bed. She pulled the duvet open, leaving it folded between her and Alex as she laid on her stomach. Jess looked over at Alex. "What's the new case about?"

The older blonde continued to smile. "Here, read for yourself." and she handed Jess a file. She took it and set it aside. The young woman balled up Olivia's hoodie and rested her chin on it. She grabbed the file; put it, the Post-It notes and her phone in front of her as she held the pen in her right hand.

As Jess settled in, Alex smiled sweetly down at the teen. That had been the only good part of her day. The A.D.A. went back to re-writing her opening arguments for the case she would be trying tomorrow: The People v.s. Ronald Blaze.

After an hour of reading, the words were starting to blur together on the page in front of Jess. She checked her phone one last time. There was no message from Olivia. The young woman sent one last text that day. "Goodnight Livie. You know no matter where you are or what you are doing I love you." She sent the message and put the phone down. Jess continued to read until she fell asleep.

Alex was not sure how long Jess had been asleep but when she looked down at her she was fast asleep. The taller blonde closed the file she had been reading and set it on the nightstand beside her. She carefully slipped the file out from under Olivia's hoodie and set it on top of the file beside her. Alex pulled the duvet over the young woman and smiled. Jess had fallen asleep on Olivia's hoodie. She turned and reached for the light beside her when her eyes fell on the nightstand. The A.D.A. had turned Olivia's cell phone off and placed it in the drawer when she had come home. Alex opened the drawer, picked up the phone and turned it on. There was one new text message. Alex read Jess's text and started to cry. Where had Markus Pharaoh taken Olivia and what was he doing to her?

The tall blonde shut the phone off and put it back in the drawer. She shut the light off and turned on her side to face Jess. Alex continued to cry as she stoked the curls on Jess's head gently. She prayed she would never have to tell their little girl that Olivia was missing.

**Tuesday August 18****th****, 07:03**

When Alex woke up she had not remembered falling asleep. She was warm and felt someone touching her. She looked down expecting Olivia and actually sucked in a breath when she saw Jess. The A.D.A. shook her head to clear her thoughts. What had transpired the day before washed over her. It had not been a nightmare. She had moved out of Olivia's apartment, Jess was at her condo and Olivia had been abducted. Alex looked down at the child she loved so much. Jess was lying on her side with her left arm draped across the taller blonde's stomach. The sight tugged at Alex's heartstrings, the young woman had only ever fallen asleep and clutched Olivia before. It was the first time Alex felt Jess was hers. She stared at the tiny arm that lay across her stomach. She touched it gently and rubbed it softly with fingers on her left hand. Jess nuzzled Alex's right arm as she slowly woke up. This brought a grin to the A.D.A.'s face.

Once Jess fully woke and was aware of her surroundings she took Alex's right hand and put it on her back. The tall blonde started to rub the shorter one's back. Jess had moved her head onto Alex's stomach and she gripped the far side of the A.D.A.'s body in her left hand. "Can I come to court today?"

The older woman's breath caught in her chest and Jess felt the sharp intake of air as Alex stomach rose but did not fall. The A.D.A. collected her thoughts. "Jess, you have to go to work. I'm sure Morales has things he needs you to do. I should be done in court around six. Meet me outside the courtroom. I'll text you today with the number."

"Why can't I watch you in court?"

Alex sighed. "Jess, you know why. The case I am starting today is Ronald Blaze's. You will be called in the case by me but will also be cross-examined by the defense. I don't want you hearing any parts of the trial; you already know too much information about the case."

Jess inhaled Alex's scent as she lay on her stomach. The young woman felt just as safe with Alex as she did with Olivia. "I don't understand why it matters how much information I know about the case. I was heavily involved in the investigation until Livie kicked me off. What bearing does how much I know about the case have on my testimony?"

"How much you know about the case is relevant because it may change how you answer a question. If the defense senses you know more about something they will ask you leading questions, forcing you to answer a certain way. Eventually they may get you to be able to admit or answer something that is not directly related to your involvement in decoding Blaze's files and I may not be able to stop them." Alex rubbed Jess's back as she spoke. She knew the young woman only wanted to be in court that day in order to be close to her, but it still was not a good idea.

"I know, you're right," Jess said in a defeated tone. "I just…I don't know…"

Alex smiled. "You wanted to be near me."

The teen's eyebrows shot up her forehead. She lifted her head and looked back at Alex, who was smiling. "How did you know?"

"I know you, kid. I know you miss Livie. I know you are scared and sad and feel guilty about what you said to her when you saw her last." Alex said in a soft tone. "You shouldn't be scared, Jessie, nor should you feel guilty about what you said. Liv knows you didn't mean it. She loves you, sweetheart."

Jess laid her head down but continued to look at Alex. "I know. I just wish she would text me back. This is the longest she's ever not said something to me." Jess nuzzled Alex's stomach. "I love you, Ally."

Alex stroked the top of Jess's head with her right hand. "I love you, too."

Jury selection had gone well. They were done by eleven thirty and were in recess until the next day at nine AM, at which time opening arguments would be heard. Alex texted Jess and told the teen to meet her at her office at six and that she loved her. The A.D.A. ate her lunch at her desk and turned on Olivia's cell phone. She was not sure why she continued to do it. There was one new text message. "I love u. I know Ally moved out. I'm sorry for my part in that. Please talk to me. I miss u." It was from Jess and it broke Alex's heart. She had set up a meeting for twelve-thirty with Ronald Blaze and his attorney at the courthouse. She and Elliot were going to make one last plea and a possible deal for Blaze's co-operation in taking down Markus Pharaoh and his website.

**146 Banker Street**

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn**

**Tuesday August 18****th****, 09:47**

The deadbolt and chains slid across the metal door for the second time that morning and Markus Pharaoh appeared from behind the door. He had hand shackles in his right hand. "Detective Benson, I have a job for you. Come with me and bring the cart with you."

He had come to the door an hour earlier with a cart full of trays with breakfast on them. Olivia grabbed the cart and wheeled it to the door. "Keep your hands on the cart." The detective did as she was told and Pharaoh cuffed her wrists into the shackles. He moved out of the way and she pushed the cart out into the hall. She looked around as Pharaoh locked the door; it was the first time she had seen outside the room.

Pharaoh made her push the cart into a kitchen that was down a hall and to the right of the room she had been confined in. Once inside the kitchen Markus threw the detective a pair of cotton sleep pants and a baby doll t-shift. "Change out of your cloths and put those on."

Olivia did as she was told with the pants as Pharaoh watched. Because of her wrist shackles she could not do anything about her shirt. Once she was done with her pants Markus walked over to her and drew a gun out from the back of the waistband of his jeans. He held the gun in his left hand while he unlocked the shackles with the key in his right hand. "Now the shirt detective…and do it slowly."

It took all of her strength not to shoot Pharaoh a right hook, but Olivia's thoughts were mostly of the six little boys back in the room. She did not want to leave them or do anything to make the predator standing before her angry. She begrudgingly rid herself of the shirt she was wearing and put on the one Markus had thrown her as he held the gun towards her head. Pharaoh locked the shackles back onto Olivia's wrists, put the gun to her back and commanded her to walk. He directed her through a series of hallways until he walked her into a room with windows on the far side. Markus sat her down at a desk with two monitors, two computer towers, a keyboard and mouse. He clipped the shackles to the desk and locked similar shackles to each of the brunette's ankles. Pharaoh looked down at Olivia. "Now Detective Benson, keep my website up and running. Do not let the NYPD shut it down. Otherwise those little boys that you have become so attached to will pay with their lives. Do you understand the gravity of your job here, Olivia?"

The detective nodded and looked at the monitors. She had spent some time with TARU in Computer Crimes. "Markus, I will do the best that I can but I'm not an expert on writing java."

"You had better become an expert then, Detective Benson, and fast. Remember those little boys are counting on you." With that Pharaoh turned and left the room, closing the door behind himself. Olivia looked around. It was a room with cement walls on three sides, windows behind her and a door to the right of her. Given her small tour she gathered that she was in some type of warehouse. It appeared her captor had converted most of it into a dwelling. The room she had come from was huge, there were six single beds and a king sized bed. The kitchen had been nice, large with stainless steel appliances. The room she was in now may have always existed, the windows were older and probably the originals. She stared at the monitors to see where she should begin. With her abduction, Computer Crimes might try to shut down the website all together in order to smoke Markus Pharaoh out and start a dialog with him. Olivia knew if that were to happen there were only two people that would be handling the shutdown: Morales or Jess. There was absolutely no way the brunette could keep up with either of them. If they tried to shut down the site the six victims were as good as dead.

**Manhattan SVU Squad Room**

**Tuesday August 18****th****, 14:22**

Captain Cragen stormed into the squad room from the elevators beside the staircase. "Conference room…NOW!"

The detectives followed their Captain into the conference room and Munch shut the door. They stood in front of the media center, Cragen stood just to the left of it. The seven pictures of the individuals that had been abducted by Markus Pharaoh haunted them as they stood there forced to look at them. The Captain looked at his detectives faces; he was unsure how much longer they could keep going. "Tell me we have something on Markus Pharaoh."

Without looking at each other Fin started. "There is very little warehouse space between Chelsea and the Village. We cast a net as far north as the railway tracks north of West 31st street to as far south as West Houston, from as far west as 10th Avenue and as far east as Broadway. Considering how many city blocks that covers there is hardly any warehouse space."

Cragan looked at his squad. "Good, then it shouldn't be hard to track down the addresses and visit each site."

Munch didn't look at the Captain, only at the pictures. "We already did, Captain. There were a total of fifteen warehouses we found last night. This morning we split up the list between the three of us and we each checked out our five."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…you three split up? What the hell is going on here? You each went to these locations with no back-up? What were you thinking?!" the Captain yelled.

Stabler stepped forward and pointed at the picture of his partner up on the screen. "Liv! We were thinkin' about Liv!" He turned to Donald Cragen. "You said you wanted us to live and breathe this case. You said no one leaves because you were thinkin' about Olivia too! We had to split up, Cap. How else were we going to check out fifteen warehouses today?"

Cragen put his hand on Stabler's right shoulder. "We all want Olivia back. We all want to bring the other six victims back but we can't do it at the expense of each other." He turned to the other two detectives. "I mean it. No more cowboy stunts. You go out to check a possible location where Pharaoh might be, you take back up. What did the investigations into the warehouses yield?"

Fin looked from the picture of Olivia to his Captain. "Nothing. Most of the warehouses are being used and legitimate businesses are being run out of them. There were four that were empty but there was no sign of Pharaoh."

The Captain sighed. "Elliot did you meet Alex at the courthouse for the meeting with Blaze."

Stabler put his hands on his hips. "Uh yeah I did. He's not talking. Cabot even offered him a deal from Jack McCoy himself…he didn't take it. He maintains he knows nothing about Markus Pharaoh, the website or where the boys are being held."

"Alright look, this leaves us in a bad place. Where do you guys want to go from here?" Cragen asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Munch looked at the Captain. "I still maintain Markus Pharaoh is in Brooklyn. Why else would he have taken the bridge? He could have gone anywhere to lose us but he chose the bridge. I think we should continue to run down warehouses in Brooklyn."

"No offence, John, but Brooklyn is a pretty big place. How are we going to narrow down the search?" Cragen asked.

"There are still some pretty destitute areas of Brooklyn. I suggest we start with those ones. Concentrate on the areas where there are blocks of no habitation with easy access from highways. Pharaoh is going to need privacy for what he is doing. He would have picked a building that he knew no one would check in on and no one would notice activity."

Cragen looked from Munch to the other detectives. "Okay, I want all of you checking out John's hunch. Compile a list and we will run down every address. Munch and Fin ride together, Stabler you ride with me. No one goes alone. Has anyone checked in with Morales?" The detective shook their heads. "Stabler, I want you to go down to Computer Crimes and get an update from Morales on the website. See if he is any closer to possibly nailing down where it is streaming from and if there are any new posts."

"Uh, Cap, I think Munch and Fin should go."

The Captain narrowed his eyes at Stabler. "Okkkkay…why?"

Stabler sighed. "Alex told me today before the meeting with Blaze that she told Jess Liv was on a detail. If Olivia is on a detail that would mean I would be with her."

"Why did Alex tell Jess that?" Cragan asked slowly.

Elliot shrugged. "She had to tell Jess something. I mean what else could she say? It makes sense. Jess knew we were going to meet Pharaoh. It would be completely logical for the kid to think that we sent someone in undercover and now Liv and I are handling the person on the inside. Jess is smart; she knows how this squad works. Plus, the kid has been texting Olivia's cell non-stop since yesterday afternoon."

Fin looked at Stabler. "How long does Alex think Jess will last? That kid is going to fall apart without any communication from Liv."

"I'm not sure, Alex didn't say. She showed me the texts…Jess is slipping. We gotta find Liv."

"Alright, Fin and Munch talk to Morales but get your asses back here and start running down those warehouses. Stabler, I want a word with you in private then you will start the search in Brooklyn. No one talks to the press camped outside and no one talks to Jess. We play along with the story Cabot told her. Tell Morales to meet you outside One P.P. somewhere; don't go up to the office. I'm going to call Huang and ask him to start a profile on Markus Pharaoh."

Munch and Fin nodded and left the conference room. Cragen turned to Stabler with his hands on his hips. "Elliot, what do you think we should do about Jess?"

Stabler ran his right hand over his face. "I don't know. There is only so much time we have until we have to contact DCFS. Alex may have been Olivia's partner but she has no legal right to Jess."

"May _have_ been", Cragen narrowed his eyes at Stabler. "What does that mean?"

Elliot's brow shot up, he hadn't meant to word it that way. "They broke up. Alex moved out yesterday."

Cragen sighed.

Stabler sucked in his right cheek slightly as he thought. "Look, Fin was right about Jess she needs something from Liv. I read the text messages, that kid is guilt ridden about what she said in your office yesterday to Liv. Alex told me she told Jess Olivia knew she didn't mean what she said, but she thinks the kid doesn't believe her."

"Do you think Alex should text Jess from Olivia's phone pretending to be her?" Cragen asked.

"Alex asked me the same thing. I told her no. When we get Liv back she will lose her mind if she finds out we lied to Jess."

The Captain shrugged. "We're already lying to Jess, what difference would the text message be? It will make the kid feel better."

Elliot nodded. "I know it will help Jess", he squinted his eyes, "but I just have a bad feeling about pretending to be Liv. Jess is smart, she'll somehow know it isn't Olivia…I know it." Stabler smiled slightly at the idiocy of his next statement. "Cap, I don't know much, but Olivia and Jess…them I know. It would be a mistake to text Jess from Liv's phone."

That was enough for Cragen. "I believe you. If you think it's a bad idea I won't suggest it to Alex. What was your read in the meeting with Blaze?"

"Oh he knows where Pharaoh has stashed our victims and I know damn well he build that website from scratch." Stabler shook his head. "He won't give it up. That deal Alex offered him was a gift. If he didn't take that he won't be taking any deal. Opening arguments are slated to start in the morning, the trail is on."

**146 Banker Street**

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn**

**Tuesday August 18****th****, 16:51**

It had not taken much to keep Markus Pharaoh's website going, no one had screwed with it all day. Olivia could only imagine what her squad and Computer Crimes were doing. How were they ever going to find her and the little boys? She knew they had nothing on Pharaoh, and Ronald Blaze's trial was to start that day. She may not have known what her co-workers were doing but Olivia had a feeling she knew what her little girl was doing; going out of her mind. No matter what the detective had been doing over the last three months she had never gone more than twelve hours without texting Jess. Olivia felt horrible about what she had done, said, and how she had acted towards the child the day before. More than anything Olivia regretted not going after Jess immediately following their argument. The brunette was shocked out of her thoughts. "Detective Benson…I have a video for you to post."

Pharaoh produced an unmarked DVD and handed it to Olivia. She took it form him and slid it into the DVD drive of the tower to her left. She did her best to remember the steps in order to link the video directly on to the website.

"Make it look pretty, Olivia. Like all the other videos. I want the faces of the boys in the video to be the icon people will click on to view it." Pharaoh said calmly.

Olivia was having trouble remembering some of the steps to post the video. She had never taken video nor made an icon. Her stint in Computer Crimes had been short and she had never build pieces of a website. It was taking her awhile to get her bearings and do what Pharaoh was asking.

"Tick, tick, Detective. What is taking so long?"

Olivia had not said very much to Markus Pharaoh all day. He had come by several times through out the day, letting her stretch and use the bathroom. He had even brought her lunch. The detective was losing her patience. This was not her area of expertise. "You think I can just run my hands over this keyboard and magic happens?" Olivia said through somewhat clenched teeth.

Her captor grabbed her hair and pulled it back, snapping her head back with it. "No Olivia, I think you run your hands over that keyboard, do as you're told and those little boys live to see daylight. You fuck this up, Olivia, and I'll have _you_ shoot each one of them in the head yourself. Now smarten up you little bitch and post my Goddamn video." Pharaoh had spoken in an eerily calm tone. He let go of the detective's hair and she continued to work on getting the video up on the website.

Less than five minutes later the video was posted. Pharaoh looked at the screen. "Play it."

"You know what the video is; we don't need to play it." Olivia said trying to remain calm.

Pharaoh put his gun to Olivia's right temple. "I said play it, Detective. It's not for my benefit…this is all for you."

The brunette swallowed hard as she clicked on the video and it started. It was ofQuentin Stevenson and Kyle Ryan. Olivia sat shackled to the desk as she watched in horror as an unidentifiable man molested the two boys on a bed. She closed her eyes to try and block out the images. Pharaoh cocked the gun still touching the detective's temple. "I said this was for you, Olivia, open your eyes."

She did what she was told. Her eyes fluttered open and the repulsive behavior continued. The man in the video not only did repugnant things to the boys, he had them do things to him. Olivia held back as best she could but tears fell down her cheeks. Once the video was over Pharaoh pulled the gun away from the brunette's head. "Good girl, Olivia. Now everyone can see my video." He unclipped her shackles from the desk and walked her back to the room with the six tiny victims in it. He unlocked the door and Olivia's shackles and pushed her inside the room. He locked the door and left.

Olivia looked around the room. Quentin Stevenson and Kyle Ryan where curled up in the fetal position on their beds. The other four boys where huddled together talking quietly. The detective went over to each boy on their beds and spoke with them. She tried to comfort them and convince them that what happened was not their fault.

Eventually dinner came and went. The room grew dark and the boys pushed two of the single beds up against the kind sized bed. All of the boys ended up on the king sized bed or single beds beside it with Olivia. She told them stories she remembered her mother telling her when she was a child. One by one the children fell asleep. Olivia made sure each one of them was deep into sleep before she let her own thoughts get the better of her. She could not let Pharaoh continue to molest these little boys. The detective started to cry.

**310 Central Park West**

**Residence of A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot**

**Tuesday August 18****th****, 21:28**

After dinner Jess IM'ed with Dick while Alex went over her opening arguments in the den. Dick confirmed that he had not seen his father since Monday morning before he went to work. He also said that his mother had spoken with his father and that he was in fact on a detail with Olivia. Eventually Dick and Jess said goodnight and the young woman closed her laptop. She padded barefoot out of her room and down the hall, across the hardwood floor, to the den. Jess stood in the doorway watching Alex for a few minutes before she spoke. The much taller blonde had baby doll NYPD shirt on. Jess thought it was an odd choice given she and Olivia had broken up.

The A.D.A. sensed she was being watched but was not sure what to say to Jess. Her testimony would be heard at some point that week, probably Thursday. Alex knew Jess was unstable. She missed Olivia and was having a very difficult time not being able to communicate with her. Elliot had told her not to text Jess from Olivia's phone, but Alex wasn't sure how much longer Jess was going to be able to last. "What's up, little one?"

A half-smile appeared on Jess's face as she stepped into the den and up to the large oak desk. "How long did you know I was there?"

Alex looked up from her paperwork and took off her glasses as she addressed the younger blonde. "From the moment you stepped into the doorway."

Jess picked up one of the three picture frames that were sitting on the desk. She smiled but her eyes became glassy. The picture was of Jess, Alex and Olivia sitting on the back of an ambulance. She continued to stare at the picture as she spoke. "Why didn't you say something if you knew I was there?"

The older blonde smiled sympathetically at Jess. "Honestly, I didn't know what to say."

The teenager put the picture back in its place on the desk. "Where is she, Ally?"

"I told you, Olivia is on a detail." The smile on Alex's face disappeared.

"She hates me doesn't she? Livie's going to give me up isn't she?"

Alex's mouth dropped slightly as she furrowed her brow. "No Jessie, no she doesn't. Olivia loves you very much. Nothing would ever cause her to give you up. What on earth would make you think she feels that way?"

The bottom lip of the younger woman started to quiver as the tears in her eyes fell. "She won't talk to me!" Jess pulled her iPhone out of the pocket of the hoodie of Olivia's she was wearing and tossed it on the desk in front of Alex. "She won't text me back. Ally, she ALWAYS texts me back."

"I know sweetheart, I know she does. You have to understand that she would if she could but she can't. Olivia and Elliot are deep into this case and…"

Before she could finish her sentence Jess cut her off. "Ally, Elliot called Kathy today! If Elliot can pick up the phone then why can't Livie?" The teen shoved her hands into the front pocket of the hoodie. "She can pick up a phone, she just doesn't want to. She hates me, Ally." Jess wailed.

Alex got up out of her chair and came around the front of her desk. She pulled Jess into her and held her. "That's not true Jessie, its not. You have to believe me. Listen to me." Alex pushed the child off of her and held her out in front of herself. She looked down into the now deep green eyes of the kid. "Listen to me, Livie loves you, she does. Jessie, she does not want to give you up. You need to hold on, okay? I mean it. You need to hold on for Olivia. She needs you to be strong while she is working. Can you do that?"

Jess choked back more sobs and swallowed hard. She nodded. "Yes, okay."

The A.D.A. wiped the tears off of Jess's cheeks with her thumbs and held her tightly again. Jess slid her hands out of the front pocket of the hoodie and threw them around Alex. "I know you can do this, Jess. I believe in you. We will get through this together okay?"

"K"

"I'm going to call you as an expert, probably on Thursday. Do you want to go over your testimony? I can prep you right here."

"Yeah…okay sure." Jess knew it would take her mind off of her cell phone and hopefully off of Olivia.

The pair went over Jess's testimony for almost an hour. Alex asked her the same questions she would in court and cross-examined her the way the A.D.A. thought Blaze's attorney would. The teenager did well. The older blonde noticed that the younger one was focused and calm. Alex felt better about Jess's ability to testify later in the week.

Once they were done in the den she asked Jess if she wanted her to read to her in bed. Jess said yes and insisted they lay in Alex's bed. The taller blonde knew Olivia read to Jess to calm her down and get her to sleep. The teenager asked if the A.D.A. would read the book she was reading out loud. Alex thought it was odd that Jess didn't want to have her own book read, but she didn't push the kid. The shorter blonde brushed her teeth and went to Alex's bedroom. While the A.D.A. brushed her teeth Jess laid in bed and sent Olivia a text message. "I miss u. Ally is taking good care of me. Prep'd me for my testimony 2nite. I love you, forever and always, yur daughter." Writing it had brought tears to the teen's eyes. Once Alex climbed into bed and under the duvet Jess snuggled up to her. The teenager stretched her left arm over the taller woman's stomach and held her tightly. "Jessie, I will never let you go. You know that right?"

The kid took the A.D.A.'s right hand in her left. "I know. It's just that…" and set them both down the older woman' stomach. She ran her fingers over Alex's hand.

Alex stroked the blonde curls on Jess's head with her left hand. "It's just what?"

"You don't have any legal rights to me." Jess felt Alex inhale and hold her breath.

She finally exhaled. "I know I don't." Alex said slowly. The statement had taken her by surprise but she had been thinking about that fact for the last two days.

"I want you to. I want you and Livie to adopt me, together." Jess turned her head and propped herself up on her elbows. "Do you want to adopt me?"

The truth was Alex hadn't ever thought about it. She had always thought of Jess as Olivia's. That if anyone was going to adopt the teenager it would be Olivia. Alex loved Jess and wanted to help raise her. She would do anything for the kid, but adoption was something Alex had never considered. Through her shock, the A.D.A. smiled. "I would love to have legal rights to you, Jess. I would love to adopt you but that is something that you and Olivia need to discus. She is your legal guardian." Alex cupped the child's tiny chin in her left hand. "I don't think Liv and I can adopt you if we aren't a couple. I'm sorry, baby. I love you so much, more than you will ever know." The older woman felt the child's chin quiver. "I love you, Ally." Jess put her head back down on her stomach and Alex opened the book to the page that was dog-eared and started to read.

Jess had a tight grip on Alex's t-shirt when she had started to read. After about thirty minutes Alex stopped and realized the young woman's grip had loosened and her head had become heavy. When the taller blonde hadn't read anything for a minute it was obvious to her that Jess had fallen asleep. She set the book down on the bedside table, opened the drawer and took out Olivia's cell phone. She turned it on and read Jess's text message. Alex went against Elliot's advice and texted the teenager back. "I miss you too. Love you with all my heart. I forgive you." It was short and sweet and the A.D.A. prayed to God it would pacify the child clinging to her. It crossed Alex's mind then that Olivia might not come back. That Pharaoh might have been ruthless with her detective. The tragic thought plagued Alex. She put the phone back in the draw as she cried. The older woman put her hand on Jess's back and decided that if something had happened to Olivia she would fight for custody of their daughter.

**Wednesday August 19****th****, 05:46 **

Jess woke slowly. She was not sure what had brought her out of deep sleep but she could feel Alex under her head breathing deeply. The teenager lifted her head gently off of the A.D.A.'s stomach and turned slightly to find her cell phone. She reached above her head, to the right and found it. Jess slid her thumb across the screen, unlocking it and stared down at it in disbelief. There was one new text message and it was from Livie. The child clicked it and the message appeared. "I miss you too. Love you with all my heart. I forgive you." A wide smile found its way across Jess's face and tears of joy welled up in her eyes. Even through her teary eyes Jess typed a message back. "I love you. Come home soon." The teenager hit send and was about to wake the taller blonde sleeping beside her when she heard a noise. Something in the drawer of the nightstand buzzed twice.

The young woman cautiously made her way off the bed altogether and walked slowly around the foot of the bed. She silently pulled the drawer open and reached inside for a cell phone. Jess recognized the phone as she picked it up and flipped it open. There was one new message from 'Jessie'. The teenager thumbed around to the 'sent' messages. The most recent one had been sent the night before, it was to Jess and it read: "I miss you too. Love you with all my heart. I forgive you." Either Olivia had been there in Alex's condo or it had been the A.D.A. herself who sent the message. The young woman looked in every bedroom of the condo but the detective was nowhere to be found. Not only had Alex sent the message, but if she had Olivia's cell phone in her hand it meant the detective didn't have it at all.

Sheer panic shot through every nerve ending in Jess's body. Her first thought had been to wake Alex and demand to know what was really going on with Olivia. As she dressed in her own room the teenager thought of a much more direct way of finding out. Alex had been lying to her for a while, how long exactly was still a mystery to Jess. She was only going to get straight answers from one source: Manhattan's SVU squad room.

Once dressed, the teenager packed up her laptop, slung it over her shoulder, put on her DC shoes, closed the door silently behind herself, locked it and headed for the subway.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight: Unraveled**

Manhattan's Special Victims Unit Squad Room

**Wednesday August 19****th****, 06:38 **

Jess walked off the elevator and into the bullpen. She immediately noticed the media center was missing from the room. The teenager made a beeline for Olivia's desk. She pulled open the top right drawer and looked down at the contents with her mouth open. The detective's shield and service weapon were sitting there. The only three things Olivia never went anywhere for work without where all in Jess's slight, which meant they were not with the detective. Either she was sleeping up in the crib or something was seriously wrong. The teenager pocketed Olivia's cell phone, something she had not taken out of her hand since she had found it in the bedside table. Jess picked up the leather case that held detective's shield in her right hand; the small metal chain attached to it fell across the back of her hand. She closed her eyes and ran her thumb over the shield. She knew the number by heart: 44015

The young woman slid the badge into the laptop bag that was strung across the front of her body. Jess closed the drawer silently and opened the middle one. Amongst other things the teenager found the keys to Olivia's Mustang that had been parked in the motor pool on the way in. The tiny blonde pocketed the keys. She had a choice to make. Should she go up to the crib and see once and for all if the brunette was there or should she find the media center? The longer Jess stood and looked at the closed door to the crib the worse she felt about Olivia. There was no reason for Alex to have the detective's cell. There was no good reason for Olivia's gun and shield to be in her desk. If she were in the crib she would have them on the floor under the cot she was sleeping in. If she were on a detail or playing lookout she would have them with her. Unless…Jess's heart sank as her eyes wildly scanned the room for the media center. The door to the boardroom was open; it was the only other space big enough to accommodate all the monitors. The young woman walked quickly into the room and even though the lights were off she saw the media center. She grabbed the remote from the long table, powered the center up and stood before it.

She stood in front of the monitors completely paralyzed. Jess's heart shattered as her thoughts a minute earlier became facts. The squad had sent Olivia in undercover for the meet and greet with Markus Pharaoh…and he had abducted her.

Stabler woke to his cell phone vibrating on the pillow his head was resting on. He had kept it on in the event that Olivia managed to get to a phone. His eyes flew open as he grabbed the phone and looked at the caller ID. "Cabot" He got up and took the phone out of the crib. Elliot closed the door behind him and answered the phone quietly. "Stabler"

The voice he heard on the other end was labored and panicked. "Elliot, Jess is missing!" It was Alex and she was beside herself.

"Alex, calm down. When was the last time you saw her?"

"Last night. She fell asleep in bed with me. When I woke up this morning she was gone…" Stabler heard horns honking and Alex swore under her breath.

"Alex, where are you?"

"In my car on my way to the One-six."

Elliot shook his head slightly trying to shake away the sleep and get a grip on what was happening. Could Pharaoh have somehow taken Jess during the night? "Alex, why are you coming here? Do you think Pharaoh could have taken Jess?"

There was silence on the other end of the phone as Alex processed what Elliot was asking her. The thought of Jess being abducted had not crossed her mind. She was positive Jess was on her way to the SVU squad room to look for Olivia. When Alex had seen that Olivia's phone was gone from the drawer she knew Jess had found it. "No, no I really don't think Markus Pharaoh has Jess. She found Olivia's cell phone. She has to be on her way into the squad to look for Liv. Where are you?"

Stabler scanned the bullpen. Jess wasn't in the squad room. "I'm in the squad now. Alex, she's not…" His eyes scanned the room and stopped at the door to the conference room. The lights were off but there was a glow coming from the room. Munch, Fin and Cragen were all in the crib, no one had been in that room in hours. "Hold on, I think I found her. Come to the station, I'll call you back if she's not here." He hung up the phone before Alex could answer him. He made his way down the stairs and across the floor of the bullpen to the door of the conference room. Elliot stood in the doorway silently for a moment. Jess's back was to him but he could hear her crying softly. Her whole life was wrapped up in his partner and in one second on a giant screen the child had seen her life with Olivia dissolve. That one word under his partners' picture made him feel sick to his stomach. 'Abducted' He whispered to Jess, in an attempt not to frighten her. "Jess, I am so sorry."

A small sob caught in Jess's throat as she heard Elliot's voice. She turned around slowly in order to face the detective. "Turn the lights on." Jess said quietly and calmly.

Elliot stepped inside the room and flicked the switch for the lights. The harsh fluorescent lights above them kicked in. "You weren't supposed to find out this way…"

Jess raised her brow and spoke just above a whisper. "I wasn't supposed to find out at all was I?"

The detective shook his head. "No, you weren't."

"Whose call was that?" Her tone and volume hadn't changed. If Elliot had not been standing in front of her he would have never been able to hear her.

Stabler stepped farther into the room. "It was a collective call, from everyone involved."

Alex appeared in the doorway behind Elliot. The teenager snickered under her breath at the sight of the A.D.A. She looked from Alex to the detective. "You were her handler in the park weren't you?"

Elliot nodded to Jess as he stepped closer to her. He wanted to hug her, to comfort her. "Yes, I was."

The teenager drew her right hand back ever so slightly before slapping it across Elliot's face. The detective's face shot sideways from the surprise and force of the blow.

Alex stepped into the room with a horrified look on her face. "Jess, stop! It's not Elliot's fault."

Stabler held up his hands. "No, no…Jess had every right. This is my fault."

Jess nodded to Elliot. "You're damn right this is your fault. You are her partner, Elliot. You are supposed to protect her." The young woman seethed at the detective. "Instead you fed her up to that sexual predator, Markus Pharaoh."

Elliot ran his right hand over his jaw as he looked down at the teen. "I know."

The younger blonde narrowed her eyes at Stabler. "She would _never_ have let this happen to you."

The detective closed his eyes as he listened to Jess. He opened them and looked at her. "I know."

Jess pointed her right index finger at him as she spoke. "When I get Olivia back I don't want her partnered with you. Do you hear me? I want you to put in your paperwork and transfer out of this squad. Do you understand me?" Jess asked in an eerily calm tone through clenched teeth.

Stabler squinted his eyes at Jess but nodded. "Yes."

The teenager stepped closer to Elliot, forcing herself in his personal space. "Say it, Elliot. I want to hear the words come out of your fucking mouth." Rage churned in her eyes.

"I'll file my paperwork. I'll transfer out of Special Victims Unit." Alex didn't recognize the tone of voice Elliot was using, he didn't recognize it himself. It was guilt and grief-ridden.

Jess stepped away from him and walked towards Alex as she fished Olivia's cell phone out of the pocket of her jeans. She held it out to the A.D.A. The older blonde took the phone as the younger one spoke. "When I get Olivia back I want you to stay out of our lives. You lied to me, Alexandra. You left Olivia and now I'm leaving you. Stay the hell away from us. Do you hear me?!" Jess cried.

Tears ran down Alex's face as she shook her head. She needed to explain why she had lied. She needed to make Jess understand that it was for her own good. "No, I can't. Jessie…please…let me explain…"

"No!" Jess shouted as fury boiled over inside her. "There is no excuse for what you have done to us. You _left_ Livie! You lied to me…"

Alex stepped towards Jess to try and hug her. She wrapped her arms around the teen but Jess pushed off of her in disgust. "Get off of me! Stay away from me, Alexandra. You make me sick!"

Jess ran out of the room and to the stairs. She hustled down the stairs and out of the One-six. The teenager went straight to Olivia's car, got in and put her laptop on the passenger seat. She took the computer out of the case and turned it on. Once it had booted up she opened the GPS program Morales had installed a few days earlier and had it establish contact with the tiny disk that she hoped was still on Olivia's ring. It took the program a minute to find the satellites and co-ordinates but eventually it gave Jess the location of the tiny disk; 146 Banker Street, Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The teenager put the car in gear and took off. She knew it was only a matter of time before the detectives came after her. She could not risk them catching her. Jess knew she was the only one that could find Olivia. The teen had been betrayed by two people she loved very much. That pain shot through her entire body. The anguish she felt from Elliot, Alex and the rest of the squad lying to her mixed with the ache in her heart for Olivia clouded Jess's judgment. It made her feel she couldn't trust anyone at the One-six.

Cragen, Munch and Fin came down the stairs to find Stabler holding Alexandra Cabot in his arms. Initially they figured the A.D.A. was upset about the fact that Olivia was still missing. Elliot filled them in on what had happened with Jess that morning.

Alex tore herself away from Stabler's arms and looked down at herself. She could not go into court looking the way that she did. "I have to go home and change. I'm due in court at nine. Elliot, I can't call Olivia as the primary so I'll have to call you. Opening arguments are this morning and I'll be calling you after lunch. Can we go over your testimony around ten-thirty?"

Stabler looked at Cragen who nodded his head at the detective. "Yeah, sure. You wanna meet in your office?"

The A.D.A. nodded. "That would be great. Thanks, El." She nodded to the other men in the room and left to go back to her condo and get ready for the day.

Fin turned to Stabler. "That must have been some blow-out with Jess."

Elliot cocked his head to the right. "You have no idea. The kid told Alex to stay out of her and Olivia's lives."

Munch looked at Stabler over his the top of his glasses. "What else did she say?"

Stabler looked from Munch to Cragen and crossed his arms over his chest. "She told me to put in my paperwork to leave this squad. She said she didn't want me partnered with Olivia anymore."

The Captain crossed his arms over his chest. "What did you tell Jess?"

Elliot looked at the floor for a minute before looking back up at Cragen. "I told her I would. Markus Pharaoh will be my last case working for this unit."

Munch raised his brow. "You can't be serious? The kid is scared Stabler. She's scared and hurt; she's not thinking rationally."

Stabler looked down at the floor again and narrowed his eyes. "Yeah…well I am." He looked up at his Captain. "You'll have my transfer paperwork on your desk by the end of the day." He walked away from the group and to the locker room to find a clean shirt. The three men were left standing in the bullpen staring at each other in disbelief.

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Detective Olivia Benson's Residence**

**Wednesday August 19****th****, 07:35**

Jess showered quickly, dressed, put her hair in two braids and tied a bandana over her head. She didn't have much time to pack, but she needed to be meticulous. She was not coming back until she had Olivia. The young woman rounded up all the internet sticks and laptop batteries she had and put them in her laptops case. Jess grabbed her small video camera, Mini DV tapes for it and binoculars and shoved them into a bag. She packed a large sleeping bag, two pillows and enough clothing for five days. Jess called Morales and told him Alex had suggested she take the rest of the week off, that she needed a break. Morales was sympathetic and agreed. He told her he'd see her on Monday. The teenager grabbed some food from the kitchen and a Post-It note pad and pencil from her room. Jess sat at the kitchen table and wrote on the note pad.

"I was born at night, but not last night."

She ripped off the first piece of paper and set it on the table. Jess took her iPhone out of her pocket and scrolled through the contact list. She wrote four numbers down on the next Post-It, tore it off and pocketed the piece of paper. She threw the rest of the pad and the pencil into a bag and set her phone down on top of the Post-It on the table. Jess grabbed all the bags, left the apartment and locked the door behind herself. She put everything into Olivia's car she had parked at the curb and walked half a block to an ATM. The blonde withdrew five-hundred dollars. As she put the money in her pocket the teenager smiled and waved slightly at the camera above and in front of her. Jess knew the detectives would trace her bank account; they would look at the ATM camera footage. She turned away, walked to the car, got in and headed for Times Square.

**1488 Broadway**

'**Techtronic Electronic'**

**Times Square**

Jess had circled for five minutes but managed to find parking just off of Broadway. She took her laptop bag with her but left everything else in the car as she took off down the block and into the store. Jess walked up to the man behind the counter. "Hey, can I grab one of those pre-paid cell phones behind you, three SIM cards and that 80 gig external hard drive?" Jess pointed to a box through the plexiglass top of the counter.

The man looked at her with no expression. "Which phone would you like?"

Jess looked beyond the man to the wall behind him and shrugged. "The pink one" It didn't matter, it was a buster. She would dump the phone and the SIM cards as soon as she was done with them. "I need a car charger for the phone, too." Jess said as she picked up three small cases that hold SIM cards and set them on the counter.

After collecting the phone, charger, cards and external hard drive the clerk rang them up along with the cases for the SIM cards. Jess paid the man in cash, left the store and headed for the car. Once inside she hooked up the charger to the cigarette lighter output. The teenager took the first SIM card out of its packaging, opened up the phone and inserted the card. She plugged the phone into the charger and turned it on. Jess pulled out the Post-It from her pocket and dialed the first number.

"Hey, it's Jess. I need your help."

"Are you okay"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I really need your help though; it has to do with Olivia. Can you meet me…now?"

"Uh, yeah sure. Where are you?"

"Times Square, at the corner of Broadway and West 43rd Street. I need you to bring your laptop and as many batteries and Internet sticks as you have for it."

"Are we playing detective?"

"Sort of."

"That's all I get?"

"For now. Meet me and I'll tell you the rest. I'm sitting in Livie's Mustang."

"Cool. See ya."

"Bye"

Jess hung up, shut the phone off, opened the back of it and pulled out the SIM card. She tore the first number from the Post-It and placed it in the tiny case along with the card itself. The blonde retrieved the second SIM card, inserted it into the phone, put the phone back together and dialed the second number on the Post-It.

"Hey, it's me."

"Hey you, what's with the phone number, I almost didn't pick up?"

"Had to get a new phone for a couple of days. Don't call my other number. Look…I need your help."

"Okay. Are you hurt?", he said with concern in his voice.

"No. I need you to meet me in Times Square."

"Really? That's kind of a large area what are your cross streets?"

"Corner of Broadway and West 43rd Street"

"You're sure you are okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just need you to help me with something."

"Let me guess…this has to do with my father and Olivia's stake-out?"

"There is no stake-out. Don't talk to your father. Meet me and I'll tell you everything. Please, Stabler…I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate."

"Okay, I'll be there. Give me thirty minutes."

"Thanks, babe. I'm sitting in Livie's car."

"Wow...I really can't wait to hear this", Dick said in a dry tone. "Bye, O'Malley"

"Bye, Stabler"

Forty minutes later Dick Stabler was in the passenger seat and Ken Randle was in the back seat of Olivia's car. Jess had waited to explain the whole story until both men where present. She told them about what had happened that morning and was about to reveal why she needed their help.

"Okay so here is the thing. I have this GPS tracking program on my laptop and it's giving me an address in Brooklyn. I'd say there is a ninety percent chance that's where Livie is…and Markus Pharaoh. I want to go there, make sure my hunch is right, tap into Pharaoh's website and get enough evidence on him to make a case in court."

Ken looked skeptically at Jess. "Seriously? You think you're going to be able to do that?"

The blonde gave Ken a half-smile. "Not by myself…that's why I called you. I need you to help me gain access to Pharaoh's IP address and hack his website. I have an external hard drive with me to transfer the evidence onto."

Dick was shocked. He couldn't help it but he smirked at his girlfriend as he said dryly, "You're going to prosecute this Markus Pharaoh, too?"

Jess sighed and rolled her eyes. "No. I just need to find Livie, anything else is gravy. Look, I really think we can build a case against Pharaoh. I have a video camera, too. I want video of this guy if we can get it. I promise if things go sideways I'll call Fin and Munch and hand everything over to them. Sooo…will you guys help me?" Jess asked looking between the two men.

Ken smiled slightly. "I'm in, let's get this perv."

Dick rolled his eyes and then focused on Jess. "O'Malley, you know I'm in. Let's roll."

The young woman nodded to both men and smirked at them. She handed her laptop to Dick and he opened it. The GPS tracking program was running and giving them turn by turn directions to where the tiny disk was. Jess turned the car on, put it in gear and followed the directions the program was giving.

**60 Centre Street**

Supreme Court Courtroom of Judge Lena Petrovsky

**Wednesday August 19****th****, 13:03**

Judge Petrovsky knocked her gavel on the wooden plate. "Court is now in session, please be seated." She looked down at Alex. "A.D.A. Cabot, call your first witness."

The tall blonde looked back at the Judge. "Prosecution calls Detective Elliot Stabler to the stand."

Stabler was sworn in and took the witness stand. Alex approached him asked a series of rehearsed questions ranging from whom and how information had been ascertained about Ronald Blaze, the search of his residence and the interrogation of the defendant. Elliot answered them and the defense only objected twice.

Once Alex had no further questions for the detective it was Blaze's attorney's turn. He stood; buttoned the top two buttons of his suit jacket and walked over to the witness stand.

"Detective Stabler, did you actually obtain the initial information allegedly connecting my client to this child pornography website?"

Stabler answered in a calm tone. "No. As I stated earlier a computer tech from TARU worked with Java script in order to connect Ronald Blaze's home computer with the child pornography website."

Blaze's attorney looked at the jury. "I see." He looked back at Stabler. "Detective Stabler, who waited outside my client's place of residence in order to apprehend him?"

Elliot looked at Alex who gave him the slightest 'I have no idea where this is going' look. He looked back at Blaze's attorney. "My colleagues, Detective Munch and Detective Tutuola."

Once again Blaze's attorney looked at the jury and cocked his head to the right. "I see. Detective Stabler, were you in charge of carrying out the search warrant on my client's apartment?"

Stabler squinted his eyes at the lawyer; he was getting tired of these needless questions. "No."

The attorney looked at the jury. "Who was?"

Elliot was starting to lose his patience. His partner was missing and they still had no leads on Markus Pharaoh. He did not have time to sit in court and be asked mindless questions. "My partner, Detective Benson."

"I see. And who ran the interrogation of my client, Ronald Blaze?"

"My partner and I did." Elliot said in a short tone.

"Right, but wasn't it your partner, Detective Benson, who flirted with Ronald Blaze? Wasn't she running the interrogation?" Blaze's attorney asked, never taking his eyes off the jury.

Alex shot up; she could see Stabler start to lose it on the stand. "Objection, your Honour. What bearing do any of these questions have on this case?"

Judge Petrovsky looked down at Blaze's lawyer. "Yes, Mr. Thomas, I'm interested in that very same thing."

Blaze's attorney looked from the jury to the Judge. "Your honour, I request that Detective Stabler's testimony be stricken from the record."

Alex looked from the Judge to Mr. Thomas. "On what grounds?"

"Simple, he was never directly related to any pertinent part of this case. He had nothing to do with finding the alleged computer evidence the prosecution has, he did not arrest my client, he was not in charge of the search warrant the prosecution alleges procured even more evidence against Ronald Blaze, nor did he run the interrogation of my client. How can Ms. Cabot call him as an expert witness if he was never directly involved in any major part of this case?"

Judge Petrovsky looked from Mr. Thomas to Alex. "Mr. Thomas has a point A.D.A. Cabot. Why did you call Detective Stabler as a witness?" The Judge thumbed through some paper work in front of her. "Why aren't you calling Detective Benson at all?"

Alex looked from the Judge to Stabler. "Sidebar, your Honor", the A.D.A. said sharply.

The Judge nodded and motioned for both attorneys to come to her bench. She put her hand over the microphone. "What is going on, Alexandra?"

The tall blonde looked from Elliot to Judge Petrovsky. "Detective Benson is unavailable to testify at this time. Detective Stabler is her partner and was present at all the major events in this case. His testimony is just as relevant as Detective Benson's."

Mr. Thomas looked from Alex to the Judge. "Your Honour, this is a blatant attempt by the prosecution to undermine my case and your courtroom. If A.D.A. Cabot cannot produce Detective Benson then I want the charges against my client dismissed. If the primary detective can't make it to court to testify then the People clearly don't have a case."

Judge Petrovsky looked from Mr. Thomas to Alex. "A.D.A. Cabot where is Detective Benson?"

Alex sighed slightly. "I'm not sure."

The Judge took her hand away and spoke into the microphone. "I want to see the prosecution, the defense and Detective Stabler in my chambers…NOW. Court is in recess for fifteen minutes." Petrovsky smacked her gavel and everyone filed out of the courtroom.

**Chambers of Judge Lena Petrovsky**

Everyone followed Judge Petrovsky into her chambers. Once behind her desk she addressed Alex. "Alexandra, where is Detective Benson?"

Alex looked at Stabler and then at the Judge. "I don't know. She was abducted over two days ago in an undercover investigation."

A shocked look struck the Judge's face. "Oh my God." She looked at Elliot. "Detective Stabler, what is being done to locate Detective Benson?"

Elliot looked at the Judge. "Everything that can be done is being done. Olivia went in undercover to meet Markus Pharaoh, who we believe to be the man who hired Ronald Blaze to maintain the child pornography website."

Mr. Thomas spoke for the first time. "Allegedly hired."

Everyone in the room looked at Mr. Thomas in disgust and then Stabler continued speaking. "We are following every lead but we have not gone public yet with Detective Benson's abduction. It is our feeling that keeping it quiet will increase our chances of a positive outcome in finding her."

"He's stonewalling, your Honour. He didn't keep his partner safe in an undercover operation and now Detective Stabler and the SVU squad are keeping their mistake from the public." Blaze's attorney said deadpanned to the Judge.

"You son of a bitch!" Elliot yelled as he went for Mr. Thomas.

Alex got between the two men. "That's enough. Elliot, BACK OFF!"

Stabler backed up but continued to eye the lawyer. Alex looked at Judge Petrovsky "Your Honour, I was not trying to undermine the case or your courtroom as Mr. Thomas would have you believe. I was trying to present my case with an equally qualified Detective as Benson without compromising the attempt to find her. Detective Stabler has the same account of what happened in all the major events in the case as Detective Benson would have."

Mr. Thomas looked at the Judge. "Judge, we'll never know that for sure. Detective Benson was the Primary on the case; I have a right to question her. I move for a 180.80 motion in this case on the grounds that the lead detective is unavailable to testify."

Judge Petrovsky looked hard at Blaze's attorney and then sighed.

Alex saw the writing on the wall. "Your Honour, you can't seriously be considering this motion? Detective Benson was abducted in the line of duty. Every effort is being made to locate her but there is no guarantee she will be found." Alex swallowed hard. Although she was trying to save her case, she had been struggling for days with the fact Olivia might not come back.

Blaze's attorney knew he was close to getting this motion. He mustered up all the sympathy he could, no matter how insincere some of it may have been. "Detective Benson's abduction is tragic. We all want to see her found safe and sound. My client is entitled to a speedy trail. He can't be expected to sit in jail and wait for Detective Benson to be found."

The Judge looked from Mr. Thomas to Alex. "He's right. I am granting his 180.80 motion but the trail will proceed for now. We will recess for the rest of the day, but Alex, be prepared to call your next witness tomorrow." She turned her attention to Elliot. "Detective Stabler, if there is anything I can do to aid in the search for Olivia please let me know."

Stabler nodded in thanks and the Judge dismissed them out of the room and recessed court until nine AM the next morning.

**146 Banker Street**

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn**

**Wednesday August 19****th****, 12:12**

Olivia was having a hard time concentrating on her work. The text on the screen was running together in her blurred vision. The detective had slept on and off the night before. She woke up several times to a couple of the boys crying and a few times just on her own. Olivia looked down at her left hand and the sun shining through the windows behind her caught the silver ring on her finger. She stopped typing and looked harder at the ring. Jessie. All the detective could think of was her little girl. She wondered where the teen was and what she was doing. How much did she know? Had Alex and Elliot been honest with Jess or tried to lie to her? Olivia smiled slightly as she exhaled…they had probably tried to lie to the kid. The detective wondered how long it would take the teenager to figure out they were lying. The brunette's thoughts were interrupted by Markus Pharaoh.

"How is the website today, Detective Benson?" Pharaoh asked very nonchalantly.

The detective looked up at Markus. "It's fine. Up and running just like you asked."

Pharaoh smiled. "Good girl, Olivia. There is hope for those little boys yet. Here is some lunch." He set the tray down on the desk next to Benson so she could reach it given that her hands were shackled. Markus turned and left Olivia to her lunch and work.

**Manhattan's SVU Squad Room**

**Wednesday August 19****th**** 14:03**

"I don't understand, Alex, what is a 180.80?" Cragen asked as he stood in the bullpen with his detectives and the A.D.A.

Alex sighed. "It's a motion that can be used when the prosecution fails to commence the defendant's preliminary hearing within the one hundred and forty-four hours required under CPL 180.80. I have one hundred and forty-four hours to produce Olivia or the case will be dismissed. Petrovsky was nice enough to let the case continue though, which means tomorrow morning at nine AM Jess will be called to the stand. Fin can you call her? I have tried to reach her but she won't pick up her cell."

Fin nodded and used his cell to call Jess. Alex looked at Cragen. "Are we any closer to finding Olivia?"

Cragen shook his head. "Not really. We are running down the addresses of vacant warehouses in Brooklyn. But it's gong to take a while to visit them all."

"She won't pick up for me either" Fin said, looking at Alex.

Munch picked up the phone on his desk. "I'll call Morales and get him to put Jess on." He dialed the number and spoke with the computer tech.

Alex looked back at Cragen. "This squad has less than one hundred and forty-four hours to run down all those warehouses or this case is over."

"Really? Okay thanks, Morales." Munch hung up the phone and looked at everyone in the room.

Stabler looked at Munch, "What did Morales say?"

"You're not going to believe this. He said Jess called him earlier today and told him Alex told her to take the rest of the week off. The kid never went to work today", Munch said over the rim of his glasses.

"Shit!" Stabler yelled.

"Are you kidding me? The kid's in the wind!", Fin said sharply.

"And she's got quite a head start on us", Cragen said looking around. "Alright people how do we want to play this?"

Alex was shell-shocked. How could she have let this happen? Olivia trusted her with their daughter and now Jess was gone. To no one in particular Alex said in a very withdrawn tone, "What about an Amber Alert?"

Stabler looked at Alex. "If we put out an Amber Alert this quad will be inundated with hundreds of calls and we will have to involve DCFS. I say we look for her along with Liv. We all know Jess has gone after her."

"I hate to say it but I think Stabler is right. If we involve DCFS Liv could lose Jess. I can't have that on my conscience", Fin said shaking his head.

Cragen looked at everyone. "Alright then we run her down like a perp, it's the fastest way to find her. Go to Olivia's place and toss it. Dump the LUDS on her cell and talk to her friends."

"I'm going to take Alex with me up to Olivia's. Munch and Fin can dump the LUDS," Stabler said grabbing the keys to his unmarked sedan.

Fin rolled his eyes. "Stabler, man, who do you think you are?"

The Captain held his hands up. "Enough. We all go to Olivia's and see what's up there. We will re-group there once we have some answers."

Alex walked over to Olivia's desk and opened the top left-hand and middle drawers. The detective's service weapon was there but her shield and car keys were gone. "Jess took Olivia's badge and the keys to her car."

Munch's brow practically crawled off his forehead. "Not only does she have a head start but she's got a vehicle. That kid could be anywhere."

"Alright everyone, let's hit Olivia's place and go from there."

The detectives, their Captain and the A.D.A. all left and headed for Olivia's apartment.

**145 Banker Street**

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn**

**Wednesday August 19****th****, 14:25**

Jess drove the Mustang down the one-forty block of Banker Street the GPS system had indicated the tiny disk was on. The street was like the last six they had been down, mostly abandoned warehouses and boarded up houses.

The blonde looked around. "Wow, it looks Fallujah here."

"No kidding. I had no idea there were areas of Brooklyn that looked like this", Dick said in disbelief.

Ken looked at the empty street. "It is somewhat shocking that the yuppies haven't invaded this part of Brooklyn yet."

Jess looked back at him slightly. "Give 'em time."

As they looked at 146 Banker Street Jess noticed something immediately. "There are video cameras on that warehouse. There is a hundred percent chance that Markus Pharaoh is in there, gentlemen."

They drove past the warehouse, around the block in a perfect square and pulled into the vacant parking lot of the abandoned warehouse across the street from where the GPS had told them to go. The three of them got out of the car and looked around.

Dick looked across the roof of the car at Jess. "Now what, fearless leader?"

Jess smirked and cut him a sideways glance. "Now we break into this warehouse and spy on the one across the street. Video cameras are a huge tip-off that there is something happening in there someone wants to keep a secret."

Ken shrugged and looked between the other two accomplices. "Sounds good to me." The crew grabbed the equipment they needed and headed for one of the boarded-up doorways.

Once inside they took a toll of what lay ahead of them. The place had been abandoned for quite some time. They walked into a large two-storey room with a dirty concert floor. There were stairs to the left and right of them that went up to a balcony-style catwalk running along the sides of the building. At the front and back of the warehouse appeared to be offices. They took the stairs to their right up to the railed catwalk. They went to the front of the building first. The entire room was one long office, complete with desks and chairs. It had windows across the front and looked out across the street…at 146 Baker Street. Perfect.

Dick looked around. "Okay, so, this isn't so bad." He and Ken moved some desks together in front of the bank of windows. Jess grabbed three chairs and they all put the bags on top of the desks.

Ken opened his laptop case and plugged the power cord it into an outlet and booted up the computer. Dick grabbed the binoculars out of one of the bags while Jess set up her laptop. Ken looked at his partners-in-crime. "Power works. Plug your laptop in."

Jess smiled as she plugged in her laptop. "Amazing. That was a serious concern of mine."

While Dick looked across the street through the windows of 146 Banker Street he smiled. "You stole Olivia's car, we broke into a warehouse, now we are hacking into and spying on a pedophile and your concern was the power in this place?"

The blonde giggled as she shut down the GPS program and plugged an Internet stick into one of the USB port on her laptop. "Hey what can I say, a girl's gotta have priorities."

Ken looked at her and smiled. "Nice to know what yours are."

Dick's smile got wider. "Hey, O'Malley, is one of your priorities finding Olivia?"

Jess froze and slowly looked up at Dick, who was standing between her and Ken with his eyes glued to the binoculars. "Yes" she said just above a whisperer. "Why?"

"I can see her."

The young woman stood up slowly and Dick relinquished the binoculars. Jess took them, looked in the general direction her boyfriend had been looking and focused the sights. She scanned the windows across the street and caught the detective in her sights. All Jess could see was her back but it was one hundred percent Olivia Benson. "Livie" was the only word that escaped the teen's mouth. She stood there completely mesmerized by the figure sitting in front of a computer. "Ken, Livie is sitting in front of a computer. I need access to that IP address."

Ken and Dick exchanged looks…game on. "I've already started a trace for the IP address Jess. We're gonna get it."

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Residence of Detective Olivia Benson**

**14:58**

Two unmarked sedans were parked at the curb in front of Olivia's building and their passengers were standing in front of Olivia Benson's apartment door. Alex used her key to gain access and everyone filed in. Cragen put his hand on Alex's shoulder. "Look around before we toss the place. Tell us if anything is missing or out of place."

Alex nodded and went through the apartment room by room. The men looked around but didn't touch anything. The A.D.A. met everyone in the living room. "Jess's laptop, video camera and some of her clothes are missing. The pillows off her bed and a sleeping bag out of the linen closet are also gone. Beyond that, everything seems to be in place."

Cragen nodded. "Alright. Elliot and I will take Jess's bedroom. Fin and Munch go through the living room and kitchen." The detectives split up, put latex gloves on and tossed the rooms they had been assigned to.

Elliot stood in Jess's room with her trash can in his left arm and his right hand rifling through the garbage inside. "I wish my girls kept their bedrooms this clean."

The Captain was sitting at the teenager's desk looking around the desktop computer. "Jess is pretty particular about her things. Did you see her shoes all lined up beside the door?"

Stabler snorted. "Ha, no kidding. I have to admit the kid has organized Liv's apartment. It looks great."

Munch called from the kitchen. "Stabler, Cap, you should come see this!"

The two men looked at each other, dropped what they were doing and headed for the kitchen. They all stood over the kitchen table in disbelief. Alex looked from the cell phone to the men standing with her. "Why would she leave her phone? She sleeps with it for God's sakes."

Fin looked at Alex. "It's a smart phone, it has a GPS tracking device in it. Jess knows that."

Munch continued to stare at the phone. "She left the phone here knowing we would come after her."

Cragen picked up the phone and scrolled through the call history. Elliot picked up the note that was under the phone. He grinned slightly as he read the note out loud. "I was born at night but not last night."

Everyone looked up at each other and exchanged looks. They shared in Alex and Elliot's guilt about lying to Jess. Cragen spoke first. "Look, we all feel terrible about lying to Jess, but it was the best thing to do for her."

Fin's right eyebrow rose. "Still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. We gotta find her and Liv, fast."

The Captain held up Jess's iPhone. "The last two calls Jess made were today to Computer Crimes and yesterday to Alex. Her last text was to Olivia this morning. I still want her LUDS pulled but she's not stupid, I really don't think we'll find anything."

Munch sighed. "I think that's pretty much going to be the story for the whole apartment. The kid's good. Did you find anything?"

Stabler looked at Munch. "Nawww…nothing. I say we go back to the squad and dump her phone."

Cragen looked at everyone. "Sounds good. I'm going to call Huang in and see if he can profile Jess. Maybe he can shed some light on what is going through her head. I want to see where he is on his profile of Markus Pharaoh as well."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine: Remote Access**

**145 Banker Street**

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn**

**Wednesday August 19****th****, 15:47**

Ken worked on tapping into the IP address of the computer that Olivia was working on; Jess successfully hooked into the IP address of the computer that was streaming the closed-circuit cameras. She had used the binoculars to determine that Markus Pharaoh was using network cameras that were linked to a server by Ethernet cables.

"Okay, so it appears Pharaoh has eight cameras total; four on the outside and four on the inside for surveillance. The cameras inside appear to be focused on doors and not inside rooms. I have them streaming here so we can see what he sees. We might be able to find a blind spot and gain access that way."

Dick put down the binoculars and looked at Jess. "Whoa, you can't be serious?"

The blonde looked at him. "Of course I'm serious. How else do you think we are going to get the six little boys and Livie out?"

Ken stopped typing for the first time in over an hour and turned to the woman sitting beside him. "We're going to call the squad and have them apprehend Markus Pharaoh. We can't take him down Jess, you know that."

"But I think we can…"

Dick interrupted before Jess could go on. "You said we were going to get evidence on him. You said we would call the squad when we had enough to make a case against Pharaoh. You never once talked about taking him down ourselves."

Jess looked blankly out the window and across the street. "You don't know what it's like. You have no idea what that animal does to those little boys. I have to stop him."

Ken and Dick exchanged looks and Dick nodded slightly at the other man and turned to his girlfriend. "Jess…Jessie? You're right. We don't know what Pharaoh has done to his victims. Ken and I aren't going sit here and pretend to know or understand. But what you have to understand is that we have no authority to take this guy down. If we get enough evidence on him the detectives and Alex can make a strong case. That's how _we_ are going to save those little boys. We are going to make sure once Pharaoh is caught he never gets out of jail."

The young woman looked up at Dick and shook her head. "That's not enough."

"It's the best we can do." Ken said turning to his laptop and continuing to hack away at the numbers.

Dick stepped closer to Jess, into her personal space and she leaned her head on his stomach. He stroked her head gently the way he had seen Olivia do hundreds of times.

"Holy shit, we're in!" Ken typed feverishly while his co-conspirators jumped beside him. Within thirty seconds the screen on the laptop changed and became java scrip of a website, the website Olivia was working on across the street. Ken had gained access to the IP address and taken over the computer remotely. Olivia was no longer controlling the computer in front of her…Ken was.

Jess hugged him from behind. "Oh my God, Ken, you are amazing! Let me in, I want to talk to her."

Ken stood and Jess sat his seat. Dick stuck out his hand to Ken. "You're the master, Ken."

The young man took the other's hand and shook it. "Thanks, man."

Olivia could tell it was starting to become late afternoon. The sun was getting lower and the shadows in the room were growing longer. She was surprised Pharaoh had not been by with another DVD. The detective hoped the monster would spare his tiny victims today. As she moved her fingers over the keyboard she started to realize that the keystrokes were having no effect on the screen. Was she actually typing or was she so exhausted that she just thought she was typing? Olivia looked down at her hands and then back up at the screen. Where there should have been a bracket the word 'end' and another bracket. Instead a notepad had been opened on the right side of the screen and the sentence: "I was born at night but not last night" was written on the notepad. The detective took her hands off the keyboard. She looked to her left, to her right and then back to the monitor.

Across the street from Olivia, Jess stopped using the computer so the detective could use it. When using remote access both parties can use the computer but a power struggle occurs for which party has control. She would wait for a minute before touching the computer again; giving Olivia time to type something back to her.

The brunette put her fingers on the keyboard again and typed in the notepad. "Jessie?" She was surprised to see the letters appear on the screen. Was she dreaming this?

Jess saw the message and typed back on the notepad. "Yes. I love u. R U ok?"

Olivia could not believe it. It really was her little girl on the other side of this conversation. They chatted briefly and Jess promised that she would help Olivia do whatever Pharaoh asked. All she had to do was start off the commands and Jess would take over. The detective knew a fair amount about computers but eventually she knew she would be asked to do something she did not know how to do. For the sake of the boys, Olivia was thankful Jess was there. She knew she would have to delete her conversation with Jess. She didn't want her captor to see it. When Pharaoh came by forty minutes later the detective typed "overscan" and closed the notepad.

Although the notepad had been closed, the remote access remained connected. Meaning that they could still see everything that was going on across the street on the other computer. Dick had set up his girlfriend's video camera to tape the room that Olivia was in. He zoomed in to just around the computer and hit "record" as a man walked into the room. Jess, Dick and Ken sat and watched as Olivia posted another video of an unidentifiable man molesting two of the little boys. Dick and Ken turned and looked away within fifteen seconds of the video starting. Jess sat in front of the laptop with her eyes closed and tears streaming down her cheeks. When she opened her eyes again the video was over and there was no more activity on the screen. She stood up, walked over to the video camera and looked at the three-inch LCD screen. Olivia and the man were talking. He leaned over her and did something in front of her. He backed off, she stood up and they left the room. Olivia was shackled the entire time.

**Manhattan's SVU Squad Room**

**Wednesday August 19****th**** 17:26**

Fin hung up the phone on his desk; Munch was still talking on his, as was Stabler. Huang was going through paperwork and feverishly writing notes. Cragen was on the phone in his office and Alex had been on the phone with Morales. She needed him to testify tomorrow in court in Jess's absence. The A.D.A. had lied to the tech citing that Jess wasn't emotionally ready to testify. Morales agreed to meet Alex at her office around seven-thirty that night to prep his testimony for the morning.

Alex sat at Olivia's desk staring blankly at the top of it. She was unaware of the activity in the room; all she could think about was Olivia and Jess. When Cragen sidled up beside her and spoke it made the blonde jump in her detective's chair. "Just got off the phone with the Chief of Detectives. I have a meeting with the brass tomorrow morning down at One P.P. about Markus Pharaoh's website. The press is eating the department alive. What have we got on Jess?"

All of the detectives were now off the phone. Munch leaned back in his chair. "I have TARU pulling her LUDS right now. They are going to email them to me once they get them."

Stabler looked at his Captain. "Got a hold of Jess's bank records. She made a five hundred dollar withdraw from an ATM half a block from Liv's building at around eight-fifteen this morning. I talked to the bank and they are going to release the security tape for that ATM to us in the morning."

Everyone looked at Fin. "I called a few people in the contact list on Jess's phone." Fin looked at Stabler. "Dick didn't pick up." He looked back at the Captain. "Neither did Ken. I did talk to Tony and Connie Carpino. They haven't seen Jess for almost two weeks; not since she and Liv were in for brunch."

The attention in the room turned to Alex and she nodded absentmindedly without taking her eyes off the top of Olivia's desk. "That's true. I remember they went there for brunch. Jess had such a great time in the kitchen with Tony. That's all she could talk about when I saw her that night."

Fin spoke softly across the room. "Alex, can you think of anyone else that Jess might ask for help? Someone who's number might be on her phone that we could call? You know her better than any of us."

Alex's gaze went to Fin but did not totally focus. She stood up and walked across the room. The blonde took the cell phone from Fin and started to scroll through the names.

Cragen looked at Huang. "George, have you finished your work-up of Markus Pharaoh?"

The doctor's attention shifted from Alex to Cragen. "Yes, I have. We already estimated his age to be mid-thirties and that holds true in my profile. We also know he is Caucasian and has the ability to remain completely calm under extreme duress. He probably also possess the ability to snap without warning. This makes him unbelievably volatile. There is no way to predict how he will react in any situation. His compulsion to molest young boys probably stems from early childhood sexual abuse, most likely from his mother or a female very close to him."

Stabler looked at the doctor. "What makes you think he was abused by a woman?"

Huang turned his attention to Elliot and then to the rest of people in the room. "The way he writes about the victims on his website is a clear indication he thinks he is having a loving relationship with them. It is probably the way his mother or a woman spoke to him after doing those very same things to him when he was a child. The fact that he kept the website going after you apprehended Ronald Blaze indicates that Markus Pharaoh is an intelligent man. He had you meet him at the chess tables in Washington Square Park. He had his entire getaway planned out, even had a car and accomplices waiting. Pharaoh knew it was the police that were going to meet him in the park. This is a man who is meticulous, plans for almost any outcome and has the capability of going to any lengths to get what he wants. He enjoys that aspect of the chase…he likes the challenge. Look at the abductions of the victims. He repelled down a brownstone to get Evan Winthrop. He isn't just intelligent…he's fearless too. That's a dangerous combination."

Cragen crossed his arms over his chest and raised his brow. "Great, so we are looking for a nut job that is molesting little boys and has abducted one of our own."

The doctor sighed. "I'm sorry that I can't give you much more. He will more than likely exercise extreme caution when it comes to what he thinks is the safety of his victims. Pharaoh is probably working somewhere in an isolated, run-down part of the city where no one would bother him. I'll bet he has the place wired up like Fort Knox. He would not want anyone to take his victims; he probably thinks on some level that he has saved them that he is taking care of them."

Stabler leaned back in his chair. "What can you tell us about Jess?"

Huang smiled slightly. "Very little than you already know. Jess has spent the last three months in this squad room. She has heard you all run your cases, seen countless interrogations and has more than likely picked most of it up. She knows how you find people, how you get to them and the mistakes that most fugitives make on the run." He shook his head. "Jess probably isn't going to make many mistakes. She is intelligent, resourceful and a survivor." The doctor looked at Alex who had lost interest in Jess's cell phone and was staring at him. "Jess has heard you prep your cases hasn't she?"

Alex nodded. "Yes, she has."

"Do you think she knows how much evidence you would need to make a case against Markus Pharaoh?" George asked.

The A.D.A. thought for a moment before answering. "I think Jess has a pretty good idea. She was also a very integral part of this case before she was taken off it. She knows exactly how much evidence we _don't_ have on Pharaoh."

Huang nodded and looked at everyone in the room. "Jess's first priority will be to find Olivia, but she will feel compelled to go after Markus Pharaoh. Partly because of her compassion and empathy for the victims and partly because she will want to see Pharaoh brought to justice. This squad has taught Jess everything she knows about catching a suspect. She won't come back without Olivia and damning evidence against Markus Pharaoh."

Cragen looked at his squad. "Thanks, George. I'll take the files. Alex did anyone come to mind in that contact list that you think Jess would turn to?"

Alex lied to Donald Cragen. She hated to do it, but just like the only other time she had lied to him, this was a matter of life and death. "No, sorry Don."

The Captain nodded. "That's okay, thanks Alex. You should go home and get some sleep. You are going to have to move on with your case in the morning."

Alex nodded. "I have to go to the office and prep Morales. He is going to testify because I can't call Jess."

Cragen sighed and continued. "Alright everyone go home. We will pick this up at seven AM."

Munch looked at his Captain. "But we still haven't finished the search for warehouses."

"I know, John, but this squad needs a break."

Fin looked at Cragen, "I'm stayin' until the search is done. We can go out in the morning and start running them down."

"I'm staying, too." Stabler said crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at Donald Cragen.

Munch nodded his head, he wasn't going anywhere either.

The Captain nodded his head to the squad. "Fine. Hand me some of the printouts, we're going to be here for awhile."

Huang and Alex left the squad to their work. Cragen sat down at Jess's desk. Stabler handed him a stack of printouts with three forms on the top if the pile. Cragen took everything and looked down at the top page. He looked at the detective. "Elliot, you can't be serious."

Stabler looked back at his Captain. "They're all filled out. I just need you to sign them."

"And if I don't?" Cragen asked.

Elliot sighed. "Sir, I can't…I can't work here anymore. I don't trust myself. Liv…"

Cragen cut him off. "We're going to find her, El."

Stabler ran his right hand over his jaw. "Please…just sign them."

The Captain shook his head but took the three forms and put them aside as he started to go through the printouts.

**310 Central Park West**

**Residence of A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot**

**Wednesday August 19****th**** 23:17**

Alex couldn't sleep. When she had come home to her condo it felt cold and empty. She had walked into Jess's room and ran her hand over the kid's bed the way she had when she had left Olivia's place the other morning. Alex's eyes caught her reflection in the window and she remembered back two nights ago when she had been taking out Jess's braid. Tears formed in her eyes and started to run down her cheek.

The A.D.A. went to her own bedroom and looked at her bed. She could still see her little girl lying there. How had she let this happen? Alex peeled off her clothing, threw on a nightshirt and got into bed without even realizing what she was doing. She laid on her side and drew her knees up slightly. As she inhaled she could smell the faint scent of Jess on the pillow beside her. Alex lost control and started to sob.

**145 Banker Street**

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn **

**Wednesday August 19****th**** 23:18**

Jess and Dick laid awake, in the sleeping bag on the floor of their office. They had sent Ken home, in Olivia's car to rest up and bring back another laptop in the morning. Dick was on his back and Jess was curled up beside him, her left leg over his and her left arm was draped across his chest. In her left hand she held Olivia's detective shield; she ran her thumb over the front of it.

"Do you know the number off-by-heart?" Dick asked.

Jess snorted slightly. "44015. You know your Dad's off-by-heart?"

Dick grinned. "6313"

The blonde giggled. "How sad are we?"

"I know, right. I can't believe you found Olivia."

Jess stopped giggling and sighed. "I had to. Stabler, I need her."

Dick held his girlfriend tighter. "I know you do. What are you going to do about Alex?"

"I have said everything I am going to say to her," Jess said, slightly annoyed that Dick would even ask the question.

"You can't leave things the way that they are. O'Malley, Alex loves you. I know she lied but she did it to protect you."

"Stabler, she pretended to be Livie. She lied to my face for two days. How could I ever trust her again?"

Dick tried to reason with Jess. "Look, when this is all over you need to talk to Olivia about what happened while she was away. See what she says about it."

Jess looked down at the shield. "Okay."

**146 Banker Street**

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn **

**Wednesday August 19****th**** 23:19**

Olivia had told the boys sleeping around her a few stories and they all seemed to be fast asleep, even the two that Pharaoh had molested that day. The detective went over the day in her head. She could not believe Jess had found her. They had not spoken very much about how Jess found her but Olivia was thankful she had. The brunette was also relieved that her little girl was compiling the evidence against Markus Pharaoh that she could not. It would only be a matter of time before the squad stepped in and Alex would have enough on Pharaoh to put him away for life. Alex…Olivia missed the unrelentingly gorgeous blonde. She knew even when this was all over she could not be with the A.D.A. That brought tears to her eyes as she tried to fall asleep.

**310 Central Park West**

**Residence of A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot**

**Thursday August 20****th**** 06:48**

The A.D.A. had been woken by the sun shinning in her eyes through the windows; in her state the night before she had not closed the blinds. Alex rolled over and threw the duvet off herself. She got up and went to the bathroom to shower. She caught her reflection in the full-length mirror on the way and stopped immediately. The blonde was wearing one of Olivia's NYPD shirts that was three sizes too big for the detective and four sizes too big for Alex. The tears came back. Her detective was missing and no one was close to finding Olivia. _Her_ detective…Alex had to stop referring to the brunette as _hers_. She took off the shirt, threw it on her bed and hit the shower.

**Manhattan's SVU Squad Room**

**Thursday August 20****th****, 07:17**

Elliot was the first of the squad to wake. He had come down to the bullpen and made coffee. As if the brew beckoned the other men they each filed down to the squad room one at a time, but all within twenty minutes of Stabler starting the coffee.

With the compilation of the list of properties to be searched, it was time for the detectives to divide the locations and check them out. Cragen looked at his weary squad. "Okay, Stabler and I will take this pile. Fin and Munch take that pile. If you think you might have a location on Pharaoh call it in and wait for back-up. Stabler and I will have to suspend our search around eight-thirty because I have a meeting at One P.P." The Captain turned to Stabler. "Elliot, the bank should have that security footage from the ATM Jess used yesterday. Pick it up from them, bring it back here and go through it. I want to see if anyone was with Jess."

Stabler looked at his Captain. "I called Kathy and Dick never came home last night. I told her he was with Jess and that they were fine."

Cragen put his hands on his hips. "You think Jess asked Dick for help?"

Elliot nodded slightly.

The Captain looked at Fin. "You heard from Ken?"

Fin shook his head. "Naw, he's probably with her, too. Jess probably picked up a buster somewhere and called them from that."

Munch looked between them. "Then we need to work backwards. If we dump Dick and Ken's cell phone records we can find the one common number between them and call Jess."

Cragen nodded. "Good call. I'll call Alex and get a warrant for Ken Randle and Dick Stabler's cell phone records." He looked at Elliot. "On your way back from the bank, stop by the courthouse and grab the warrant from Alex's assistant. Call TARU and have them dump the LUDS."

Stabler nodded and the men left the One-six with their lists of vacant warehouses in Brooklyn.

**145 Banker Street**

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn **

**Thursday August 20****th****, 08:35**

Ken rolled into the parking lot of the warehouse and headed inside. It was decided by the three accomplices that they needed to find a place to hid Olivia's car. It was the only one in the lot and they didn't want to draw attention to themselves. The three of them went down to the car and pulled a bunch of large pieces of plywood away from a small loading dock area. Jess backed the car into the spot and helped the guys board the space back up.

When they arrived back at their office they dug into the take-out breakfast Ken had brought them. Dick manned the video camera in order to see exactly when Olivia came back to the computer.

Jess set up the laptop Ken had brought with him. She transferred the video surveillance from her laptop to the new one. The blonde also hooked a feed from her video camera into the laptop to aid Dick. Ken gave Jess the IP address of the computer Olivia was using and she gained remote access to it with her laptop. Now Ken could take his laptop with him when he left.

**146 Banker Street**

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn **

**Thursday August 20****th****, 09:34**

Olivia was marched from the room with the boys into the computer room by Markus Pharaoh. The detective hated leaving the small victims alone but she was hoping Jess would be back on-line and she could converse with her daughter.

Once inside the room Pharaoh clipped Olivia's shackles to the floor and left her in front of the computer. Olivia opened up the Java script for the website. There was no sign that anyone had tampered with the site. The notepad program hadn't been opened either so there were no messages waiting for her either. She wondered if Jess still had contact with the computer.

"Luv u Livie. U ok?" appeared on the screen in front of her, notepad had been opened. Olivia smiled; her little girl was still there.

The detective typed back "Luv u 2. I'm fine. U?"

Jess and Olivia wrote small messages back and forth while the detective maintained the website herself.

**60 Centre Street**

**Supreme Court**

**Courtroom of Judge Lena Petrovsky**

**Thursday August 20****th****, 09:01**

"Be seated. Are the people ready to proceed with their case?" Judge Petrovsky asked.

"Yes, your Honor. The people call Rubin Morales to the stand."

The Judge nodded and Morales was sworn in. Alex walked up to the witness stand and asked him to explain the work that he and Jess had done. Step by step the tech explained in layman's terms how he and Jess had gained access to the hidden files once they had the defendant's computers and external hard drives in their possession.

Alex walked back to the table she had come from earlier and the defense attorney stood up and addressed Judge Petrovsky. "Sidebar, your Honor?"

The A.D.A. looked from the other attorney to the Judge who was motioning them both to approach the bench. Alex stood and walked up to Petrovsky along with Thomas as the Judge put her hand over the microphone. He spoke first. "Your Honor, the A.D.A. is pulling the same smoke and mirrors trick today that she did yesterday. Ruben Morales signed off as the supervisor on most of this work. The actual tech that did this work was supposed to be called this morning but was cut from the witness list last night and replaced with Morales. I would like to hear from Jessica O'Malley, the tech that actually did the work Morales is testifying about."

Petrovsky looked from Thomas to Alex. "Actually, I would be interesting in hearing from Jessica O'Malley myself A.D.A. Cabot. Where is she?"

Alex put on her best poker face. "She is unavailable to testify at this time."

"Seriously? Your Honor, this is outrageous. The People clearly have no case. Their witnesses are disappearing on a daily basis and my client has rights."

The Judge looked sternly at the tall blonde standing in front of her. "Alexandra, where is Jessica O'Malley?"

Cabot sighed slightly and pursed her lips. "I'm not sure."

Petrovsky shook her head. "Step back." She took her hand off the microphone in front of her and spoke again once the attorneys where back at their respective tables. "Rubin Morales you are excused. I'm ordering a bench warrant for the arrest of Jessica O'Malley. This case is in recess for one hundred and twenty hours or until the People can present a proper case. Court is adjourned." The Judge smacked her gavel on the bench and left for her chambers. Stabler had been sitting just behind Alex's table in the observation part of the courtroom, waiting for her assistant to give him the warrant on Dick and Ken's cell phone records. She turned to him. "We need to find Olivia and Jess…_now_!"

Morales walked from the witness stand over to the table where Alex was, "What the hell is going on here? Where is Jess?"

Stabler and Alex looked from one another to Morales, they had to be honest with him.

**Manhattan's SVU Squad Room**

**Thursday August 20****th****, 10:22**

Morales had hitched a ride with Stabler and Alex up to their squad room. On the way they filled him in on what Jess was up to, or at least what they suspected she was up to. It was only than that it clicked for Morales. "I would bet the farm Jess has found Olivia."

Stabler was sitting at his desk, Alex was at Olivia's and Morales was sitting at Jess's. Elliot looked at him. "What makes you so sure?"

The tech sighed. "I let Jess borrow a GPS tracking device that TARU just got in. I installed the program on her laptop and gave her the bug. I told her she could have it for a couple of days but had to give it back. When I asked her for it the other day she said she forgot it. If Jess somehow planted the bug on Olivia that would explain why she couldn't give it to me on Tuesday. Once she realized Liv was missing…"

Stabler finished the sentence. "Jess knew she could find her. Morales can you track the bug?"

Morales shook his head. "No. I've installed the program but have not linked either bug to it yet. You need to actually link the bug to the program, much like you would link two devices through Bluetooth."

Alex looked between the men. "This is unbelievable. A sixteen year old has the technology to find a missing New York City police detective but her own squad and TARU can't? This is what you're telling me?"

Elliot looked at Alex with sympatric eyes. "Alex, I know…I'm just as frustrated as you are. We are doing everything we can. I'm going to call TARU right now and have them pull Ken and Dick's cell phone records. Munch and Fin are running down the actual locations of abandoned warehouses now. As soon as Cragen gets back he and I will be going back out and checking our list of warehouses. We're going to find them, Alex."

Cragen walked into the squad room. "What happened? Why aren't you in court?" he asked Alex.

The A.D.A. looked up at him. "Case is in recess until the end of 180.80 and Petrovsky issued a bench warrant for Jess because she is unavailable to testify."

"Are you kidding me? Does the Judge know she's sixteen?" Cragen asked.

Alex shook her head. "No, the less information Petrovsky knows about what is really going on with this case the better."

The Captain looked around at everyone. "We have another problem. Word has come down from on high…Markus Pharaoh's website needs to be shut down, today."

Morales looked at back at Cragen. "If Pharaoh is using Olivia to maintain the website and we shut it down…" He trailed off.

Cragen looked between everyone. "I know. I tried to explain this in the meeting but the decision was already made. They want it shut down ASAP. Elliot, I want you to go down to One P.P. with Morales and call me when it's down."

Alex started to cry. "I'm coming with you."

Stabler stood up and went over to the blonde. "Alex, maybe I should take you home. You don't need to be a part of this."

Through her tears Alex looked up at him. "I am coming with you, Elliot."

He looked up at his Captain and Cragen nodded.

Elliot looked back down at Alex and then to Morales. "Okay, let's go."

Cragen looked at the three individuals before him. "I'll call TARU and have them pull the LUDS on Ken's and Dick's cell phones."

**146 Banker Street**

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn **

**Thursday August 20****th****, 11:51**

Olivia had stopped communicating with Jess roughly ten minutes earlier, she knew Markus Pharaoh would be by soon with lunch and she did not want to get caught writing to Jess. The detective was in the midst of going through the website when she noticed something…one of the videos was gone. She sat there and watched as another video disappeared. What the hell was going on?

The brunette flipped over to the java script and realized someone was screwing with the website. Olivia knew it wasn't Jess; which left a true hacker or Morales at Computer Crimes. The detective guessed the latter. She was sure SVU was getting raked over the coals for keeping the site up.

Markus Pharaoh walked into the room with a tray of food for Olivia. "How is the site today, Detective Benson?"

She didn't know what to say. The problem was there was no way the brunette could out-hack Morales. Jess would have to do it, but Olivia could not be sure she was even still watching the computer the detective was sitting in front of. "I think we may have a problem. It seems that someone is trying to shut the site down. They have taken two of the videos down already."

"Put the videos back up…now." Pharaoh said calmly setting the tray down on the desk beside the monitor.

Olivia did the best she could and got the videos back up on the site. In the time it took her to do it, the hacker had taken two others down. Markus was getting impatient. "Put the other two videos up and keep the site up, Olivia, or those little boys will pay for your incompetence."

With Pharaoh standing over her threatening to hurt the six tiny victims, Olivia was having a hard time concentrating. She desperately hoped Jess would take over the computer soon.

**145 Banker Street **

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn **

**Thursday August 20****th****, 11:56**

Jess stepped away from the computer. Ken and Dick had gone out to get pizza thirty minutes earlier and were back with lunch. They sat at the desks and ate. Dick looked at the security videos on the screen of the laptop. He moved slightly and zoomed in the video camera that was pointed across the street at Olivia. "Liv has company."

Ken and Jess looked at the video playout and then scrambled to the laptop and looked at what the detective was doing on the computer. "Holy shit, someone is hacking the website…look."

Jess watched what Ken had pointed out. He was right.

"Who do you think it is?" Dick asked, looking at his partners in crime.

"Hard to say at this point. We have to stop them though. If they shut down the site, Olivia and those boys are going to die," Jess said as she typed the commands to stop the hacker from taking more things off the site. As she did it the young woman asked her boyfriend, "Does it look like Markus Pharaoh knows Livie isn't actually manipulating the computer?"

Dick watched the playout carefully. "No, but he is standing closer to her. Do you think Liv will be able to keep up the appearance that she is controlling the computer?"

Ken watched Jess's fingers steely slide over the keyboard. "I hope so."

The blonde did everything she could to keep the site from being hacked. Without slowing her pace over the keys or looking up, Jess spoke to no one in particular; although both men knew whom she was speaking to. "Get on the other laptop. I need you to Backscatter this guy. They need to be shutdown…permanently."

Ken and Dick exchanged looks and Ken moved to his laptop. He knew that Backscatter meant he needed to work backwards and find out who is hacking the site. He ran a trace on the IP address of the website. He could run the list of address through another program he had that would track the amount of bandwidth that was attached to the address. Regular users would be easy to spot. Whoever was hacking the site would be using much more bandwidth than the other users. Ken hoped there would be enough time to run both programs.

Jess's typing sped up as she stiffened slightly in the chair she was sitting in. "Fuck, whoever this is…they're good. Ken I might need your help."

**One Police Plaza**

**Computer Crimes**

**Thursday August 20****th****, 12:04**

Morales sat in front of his laptop typing what appeared to be nonsense to Elliot and Alex. His typing had sped up in the last minute or so. "I can tell you this much Stabler, Olivia isn't maintaining Pharaoh's website."

Stabler squinted his eyes. "How do you know that?"

The tech did not look at the detective. He stared at the monitor as he typed. "Whoever is maintaining the site is a pro. I mean Olivia was great when she worked here, but she was never trained for this. There is no way she has the kind of knowledge it takes to keep me out. Plus, Olivia doesn't have the capability to work at this pace; there are only a handful of people who do."

Alex watched the tech's hands. "It's Jess, isn't it?"

Morales didn't say anything for a full minute. "I'm being traced. On top of being cock-blocked at every turn I'm being traced. There has to be multiple users at this point. No one would be able to do both."

Elliot furrowed his brow. "Why?"

"It takes too much time to set up the tracing program. Whoever is burning me has to be concentrating only on that. Look at how fast I'm working. Do you think I'd have time to set up anything else while I'm trying to hack the website?"

Stabler looked at Alex. "Jess is getting help from someone. She called someone for help."

Alex looked back at Elliot. "Who would she ask for help?"

Morales continued to type. "Whoever it is…they have expert knowledge of computers."

Elliot closed his eyes, shook his head and sighed. He knew exactly who Jess had called.

**146 Banker Street **

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn **

**Thursday August 20****th****, 12:06**

Markus Pharaoh was growing impatient but he spoke in a calm tone. "Detective Benson, what is happening to my website?"

"I don't know. Someone is trying to hack into the site and shut it down," Olivia said, trying to remain calm.

In an eerily calm voice Pharaoh asked, "Who is it?"

Olivia continued to type on the keyboard, although she knew it was having no effect on that was actually happening. So far Jess had managed to burn the hacker at every turn. The brunette wondered how long the teen could go on for. "I don't know who the hacker is."

Pharaoh pulled out a gun from his right side and drew it to Olivia's right temple. "Stop them, Detective Benson."

Olivia swallowed hard. She would if she could. At this point the brunette wasn't even in control of the computer, although the hacker would have already penetrated the website if she had been. "I'm doing the best I can. I only have two hands."

Markus spoke like pure liquid as he cocked the gun that was aimed at Benson's head. "Shut the hacker down, Olivia. Those little boys down the hall are counting on you. Don't forget that."

**145 Banker Street **

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn **

**Thursday August 20****th****, 12:08**

As Ken worked on the trace, Jess kept the hacker at bay and Dick watched the video output of the camera pointed across the street. He narrowed his eyes at the playout and then widened them. His heart started to race and panic set into his tone. "Oh shit! Jess, Pharaoh has a gun to Liv's head."

Jess stopped typing and looked at her boyfriend. "What?! Are you serious?"

Dick swallowed hard and nodded. He turned the laptop towards Jess so she could see the video. Ken looked at Jess. "Hey, pay attention! The hacker's going to get in."

The blonde turned back to the laptop in front of her and hit the keyboard harder than before. Dick turned the laptop back towards himself. He watched as Markus Pharaoh toyed with the gun pointed at Olivia's head. He wondered if this was how it was going to end. If Olivia was killed his father would be grieve-stricken; but his girlfriend? Jess might not ever recover. The detective was her whole life and Dick knew it. All he could do was sit there, helplessly and watch Olivia's fate unfold in front of him.

"Fuck this; I'm going to end this fucker right now." Within two minutes of non-stop typing, complete concentration and silence Jess stood up, sending the chair she was sitting in flying. "Fuck you!!!"

**Detective Elliot Stabler's Residence**

**Glen Oaks, Queens**

**Thursday August 20th, 12:08**

Lizzie held Eli in her arms as she and her mother talked in the kitchen. Kathy was getting lunch ready for the three of them.

"Lizzie, do you want mayo on your BLT?" Kathy asked; her daughter's back was to her.

The young woman didn't answer. She just stood there.

"Liz? Mayo or not?" Kathy asked again, this time looking up with the bottle of mayo in her right hand.

Elizabeth was silent. Kathy put the bottle down and went over to her youngest daughter. "Liz?" She turned the teen around and saw the horrified look on the girl's face. Kathy tried to take the baby out of Lizzie arms but she had a vice-like grip on her brother. "Liz, give me your brother."

Kathy struggled to get the child free, but her daughter would not give the baby up. She finally put both her hands on Elizabeth's shoulders and shook her. "Lizzie, what's wrong?!"

Lizzie's eyes had glazed over, her face paralyzed as if she had seen a ghost. "Dick. Something's wrong with Dick."

Kathy stopped shaking her daughter and Liz relinquished her hold on Eli. The mother grabbed the baby boy and held him in her left arm as she held her daughter in her right. Elizabeth had snapped out of whatever had captured her and was now crying in her mother's arms.

**One Police Plaza**

**Computer Crimes**

**Thursday August 20****th****, 12:10**

"Shit!!" Morales slammed his fist down on the desk beside his laptop.

Stabler opened his eyes and looked at the back of the tech's head. "What? What happened?"

"They burned me, for good. Look…"

The three people looked at the laptop's screen. A virtual fireball appeared and made all the java on the screen disappear. Out of the fireball came this message: "I was born at nite but not last nite. Slick burned u."

Alex inhaled and held her breath. "Oh, God, it's Jessie."

Elliot wasn't sure what to do. It was Jess; there was no doubt about that. Not only did he suspect Dick was involved but he was sure Ken Randle was helping Jess as well. He still could not account for his partner, though. Stabler turned to Alex and put his hands on her shoulders. "Breath, Alex, it's okay. At least we know Jess is alive and what she is doing."

"How can you be so calm about this?! Jess is helping Markus Pharaoh and you think this is a good thing?" Alex said, finally exhaling. "He's a child molester and that's my little girl keeping his website on-line!"

Stabler sighed. Jess was Olivia's, legally anyway, not Alex's. He knew the A.D.A. cared for Jess but this was the first time he had ever heard her verbalize how much the kid meant to her. "It's not a good thing, but it's a start."

**146 Banker Street**

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn **

**Thursday August 20****th****, 12:11**

Markus looked at the computer screen. Olivia had stopped typing for the most part. She showed him the website. "Everything is back, up and running."

"That's good, Detective. Very nice work. I knew you were the right person for this job. Now, have some lunch and I'll be back later," Pharaoh said as he put the gun back in its holster on his right side. He turned and left the room.

Olivia let out a sigh and closed her eyes. She wasn't sure how much longer this situation could continue.

**145 Banker Street **

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn **

**Thursday August 20****th****, 12:12**

Jess moved towards her boyfriend. "How is Livie?" Her tone was riddled with worry.

Dick looked from the monitor to Jess. "She's fine. Pharaoh left her alone in the room."

The three of them looked at the playout and, sure enough, Olivia was alone in front of the computer. Jess went back to her laptop and typed. "R u ok?" onto the notepad.

"Yes, U?" came back to the blonde. Jess sighed and typed back, "Yes, did he buy it was u?"

Olivia answered, "Yes. Get Elliot."

Ken and Dick were standing behind Jess as she typed back, "Can't, isn't here. Just me."

Dick was the first to call Jess on the situation. "Jess, this is getting out of hand. You need to call the squad."

Jess looked back at the guys behind her. "No way! There isn't enough evidence yet."

"He has them in that warehouse! Olivia told you that. Call them and end this…now!" her boyfriend yelled.

The blonde shook her head. "It isn't enough. There is no proof he is molesting them."

Ken sighed. "The boys will say that he did! You have to call this in!"

Jess looked at both men. "Gather up all the garbage we have made over the time we have been here and put it in a bag. Turn the buster on and answer it if it rings." Dick turned on the disposable cell phone and Ken gathered up all the garbage. "I'm going for a drive. Keep an eye on Livie."

Dick shook his head. "You're not going alone."

"You and Ken are both waaaay too involved. I'm making a phone call and then you both are leaving."

Ken narrowed his eyes at her. "No way. You are not staying here alone."

Jess sighed. "It won't be for long. I brought you both in on this and now I'm pulling the plug."

She grabbed the keys to Olivia's car off the desk, the garbage bag from Ken and left the guys alone in the office part of the warehouse. Jess moved the plywood, got in the Mustang and took off. There was only one person she knew that would be able to tell her if there was enough evidence right now to take Markus Pharaoh down.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten: S.O.S.**

**Manhattan's SVU Squad Room**

**Thursday August 20****th****, 13:06**

Morales, Alex and Elliot walked through the squad room on the way to Cragen's office. Stabler motioned for Munch and Fin to follow them. Everyone filed into the Captain's office. He looked up at them. "A call saying the site was down would have sufficed people."

Stabler shook his head. "It's not down."

Cragen leaned back in his chair. "Okay…why?"

Morales addressed the Captain. "I tried to take it down but someone stopped me. They blocked me every time I tried to worm my way in and then…"

"And then what?" Cragen asked.

The tech looked at Stabler and the detective sighed. "A message came up just before Morales was locked out for good. It said 'I was born at night but not last night'."

Fin shook his head. "Jess is keeping Pharaoh's site up and running."

"What would make her do that?" Munch asked.

"Olivia." Fin looked around at everyone in the room. "Jess knows Pharaoh has her. It's the only reason the Kid would ever do something like this."

Cragen looked around at everyone standing in his office. "Conference room, now. There are too many people in here and we need to work out possible scenarios."

Stabler looked around before everyone left. "One more thing. Someone was running a trace on Morales while Jess was keeping him out of the website. Someone who knows an awful lot about computers."

"Ken. You think both our sons are with her?" Fin asked Stabler.

He nodded, "Yeah, I do. Did any in-coming calls match on Dick and Ken's cell phone records?"

Munch shook his head. "No, not a single number. Although they each received a call within three minutes of each other around 9:30 on Wednesday morning.

Cragen stood up and started ushering everyone out of his office. "Once we are done in the conference room I want both those numbers called. I want to know who was talking to those boys."

**Payphone in Lower Manhattan**

**Thursday August 20****th****, 12:45**

"New York Times, Metro division"

"Casey Novak, please," Jess said into the phone. She was put on hold for a few seconds.

"Novak"

"Hey Casey, it's Shorty. Listen, I need your help."

The strawberry blonde sat up straighter in her chair. "What's wrong?"

Jess played with the metal cord attaching receiver to the phone. "I'll explain everything if you'll just meet me. Please…Casey, you're the only one I can trust."

Casey grabbed a pen and her notepad. "Where are you?"

The teenager told her where she was and Casey promised to be there in thirty minutes. Jess hung up and called the buster. Dick answered it.

"You and Ken need to be out of there in 45 minutes."

Dick shook his head. "We're not leaving. You are not doing this on your own."

"Stabler listen to me. I'm going to bring Casey by to make sure we have enough evidence on Pharaoh. She used to be an A.D.A., so she would know. If she says we do, then I'll call it in."

The teenager narrowed his eyes, "And if she says we don't have enough evidence?"

Jess sighed. "I'll ask her what it will take."

"Jess, I don't like this. Ken and I will leave the warehouse in 45 minutes, but we'll be around the corner. Once Casey leaves we are coming back in."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Fine. Shut the cell off now and don't forget to leave in 45 minutes. Oh and tell Ken to take his laptop with him. We don't need it."

Dick looked at Ken and nodded his head. "We'll be gone, don't worry. I'll let him know."

They disconnected. Jess threw the garbage bag away and waited for Casey.

**146 Banker Street **

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn **

**Thursday August 20****th****, 13:00**

Evan Winthrop was marched through a series of hallways and into the room that Olivia was working in. He cried all the way there. When he came into the brunette's sights she went to hug him but her arms snapped back against her shackles. Markus Pharaoh walked in behind Evan. "Ah, ah, ah…Detective," he said waving his left index finger at her. His right hand held a gun to Evan's back. "Don't touch him. He is only here to deliver his new video to you."

He looked down at the boy. "Give Olivia the DVD," Pharaoh said in a sickly sweet voice. Evan held the DVD out to Olivia but he couldn't look at her. She saw his tears and her heart broke. She took the DVD from the child and couldn't help herself. The detective wiped a few tears from his right cheek and said, "It's not your fault."

Markus raised his right hand and hit Olivia on the back of her head with the butt of the gun. "What did I tell you about touching him, Olivia?" he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Tears stung at her eyes but she refused to let them fall. She looked down at Evan but spoke to Pharaoh. "Sorry. It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't. Put that video up on the website. I'll be back later to deal with you." Markus took Evan's hand in his and led him away. Evan looked back, just before the doorway of the room, at Olivia and met her eyes. She mouthed, "It's not your fault," to him but only more tears ran down his cheeks.

Once Pharaoh and Evan were gone Olivia sobbed. She couldn't stop herself as she put the DVD into the computer and started to up-load its contents onto the website.

**Manhattan's SVU Squad Room**

**Thursday August 20****th****, 13:30**

Kathy walked into the squad room with Eli on her right hip and Lizzie holding her left hand. The room itself was empty, something she had never seen before. She heard the detectives in the conference room and walked directly through the doorway. The blonde looked at her husband. "I need to talk to you…now."

Stabler got up and walked over to his family. Just before Kathy was ushered out of the room she saw Olivia's picture up on the media board with the word "Abducted" written underneath it.

"What are you guys doing here?" Elliot asked his wife as they stood by his desk.

"Where is Dickie?" Kathy asked; an edge of panic in her tone.

Elliot looked to Elizabeth and then back to his wife. "He's fine."

Lizzie looked up at her father. "No…no he's not. He's scared or hurt…"

Stabler narrowed his eyes at his daughter. "How do you know that? Did he call you?"

Tears formed in the teens eyes. "I can feel it. Dick and I are twins. We had our own language when we were little. Sometimes we know when something is happening to the other one. Where is he?"

The detective shook his head. "I don't know."

**145 Banker Street **

**Greenpoint, Brooklyn **

**Thursday August 20****th****, 13:32**

Casey and Jess stood in front of the two laptops and video camera that were on the desks. There was a note on her laptop. "Check timecode 13:00:00" The teen pocketed the note, walked over to the surveillance laptop and entered in that timecode in the playback window. As they waited for the time to load, Jess looked at Casey and pointed to the current playout of the surveillance video. "I have a camera on Livie, but only when she is in that room maintaining Markus Pharaoh's website. I have saved all the java script on this external hard drive," she pointed to the hard drive she had bought in Times Square. "I also have Markus Pharaoh on video with a gun to Livie's head."

The reporter eyed Olivia in the playout window on the laptop. "Do you have any idea how outrageous this is? Why haven't you called Elliot or Cragen?"

Jess narrowed her eyes at Casey. "If I wanted a lecture I would have called Alex. I called you. Cass, please…help me. Is it enough?"

The laptop beeped and the video was ready to be viewed from earlier. Jess hit the spacebar and the video began. The two women watched in horror as the events from across the street unfolded in front of them. Tears came to Jess's eyes at the sight of Olivia being hit, but she pushed them back. Once Pharaoh and Evan left the room Casey turned to Jess. "You said there is no evidence on the actual videos up-loaded to the website that Markus Pharaoh is the one molesting the boys. That means the A.D.A. will have to get each of them to testify that it was him. It happens all the time, but it can be very difficult to get any victim to confront their attacker. These boys might not be able too, they might be too traumatized. The java script you have on the hard drive you and Olivia created, not Pharaoh. Although the video you have of him interacting with Liv and handing her the DVD's should be enough to charge him with distribution. What we just saw here is enough to establish Markus Pharaoh has Evan Winthrop. That is enough to charge him with kidnapping and with the gun present, forcible confinement. Jess, call this in or I will."

The teen nodded. "I will. But you have to leave. I don't want you involved."

Casey raised her right eyebrow, "Who has been helping you?"

Jess shook her head, "No one. I'll drive you back to Manhattan."

The strawberry blonde shook her head. "Call it in, now."

"I told you I would…but Cass you can't be here."

Casey took the right side of Jess's face in her hand. "I'm not leaving you alone. I owe it to Liv to make sure you're safe."

The teen smiled slightly and sighed. Casey moved her hand away and Jess picked up the buster and the SIM cards. She took the third card and put it in the back of the phone. She dialed the phone number for Olivia's desk in the squad room. It rang three times before Elliot picked up. "Stabler, Special Victims Unit."

"Donald Cragen, please," Jess said in a tone lower than her normal pitch. She was put on hold for a minute until the Captain picked up.

"Cragen."

"Captain Cragen, it's Jess."

The Captain looked at Stabler. "Hello, Jess, what's going on?" Elliot looked up at the Cragen.

Jess looked at the live playout of the surveillance video. "I know where Olivia is. You need to come on my terms, her life depends on it."

"Jess, whatever you tell me to do you have my word we will play it your way. Just tell me where Olivia is." Cragen held up his right hand to Stabler, motioning for a pen and paper. The detective grabbed them off his desk and handed them to the Captain.

"The address Olivia, Pharaoh and the victims are at is 146 Banker Street, in Greenpoint Brooklyn. I'm in a warehouse across the street at 145. There is a parking lot to the side of the building I'm in leading to loading docks inside the warehouse. Pharaoh has surveillance video cameras on 146 that shoot out onto the street. You'll need to bring one vehicle into the loading docks at 145. No lights, no sirens, no SWAT. I just want you, Munch and Fin. The three of you can come in and decide how to proceed." Jess looked from the video playout to Casey. She nodded and Jess nodded back.

Cragen finished writing down the instructions and looked at Stabler. "Okay Jess, we'll be there as soon as possible. Are you hurt?"

Jess narrowed her eyes. "No, I'm fine. Olivia's been pistol wiped in the back of the head though."

The Captain looked at Kathy Stabler. "Is there anyone else with you?"

The blonde's eyes and tone went cold. "No…I'm alone."

Cragen shook his head to Kathy. "Okay, we'll be right there."

Jess turned the cell phone off and took the SIM card out of the back. "Stay here for a sec," she said to Casey. The strawberry blonde nodded. The teen walked down the stairs and out of the building through the loading docks. She made a high pitched whistle noise and Dick stuck his head around the corner of the building. Jess went to him. She found Ken was also there. "I thought I told you both to leave?"

Dick hugged his girlfriend. "We told you to call this in."

The blonde shrugged. "I just did." She handed Dick the phone. "Get rid of this. I mean break the SIM cards, drive over the phone and then throw it all in the ocean." She took the keys to Olivia's Mustang out of her pocket. "Take's Livie's car and ride back to the One-six. Dump the car there and then you both need to go home. Turn on your cell phones and make something up about where you've been."

The guys looked at each other and then back to Jess. She rolled her eyes. "I swear to you Cragen, Fin and Munch are on their way. Casey is going to be around for a little while longer but I am kicking her out too. None of you can be near here when the cavalry rolls in."

"The trace came back from the hacker," Ken said.

The blonde snickered. "Let me guess, it was from an IP address in the network of One Police Plaza?"

Ken furrowed his brow. "Yeah, how did you know that?"

Jess sighed. "Cragen's bosses are probably riding him pretty hard. I'll bet you anything they ordered the website shut down."

The guys exchanged looks and then Ken spoke. "All I could get was the building's address. All the computers are on the same network so it's almost impossible to know the exact origin of the hacker."

"It was Morales. It had to be. He was working the case with me. When Livie pulled me off he would have taken over."

Dick looked at his girlfriend. "Do you think he knew it was you keeping him out?"

Jess nodded. "Yes. I made sure of it. I want my finger prints all over this mess. It will make it easier to convince everyone I was working alone."

Ken took the keys to the car. "Okay, we'll go. Call us later."

Jess hugged Ken, hugged and kissed Dick and they all went inside to the loading docks. The guys got into the Mustang and drove out of the building and the parking lot. Jess went up to the windows.

Dick looked at Ken, "We're not really leaving are we?"

Ken shook his head and pulled a U-turn. "Hell, no. We're waiting for the cavalry. We can't get caught though."

The guys ditched the car two blocks away and walked back to the warehouse to hide out.

Once Jess was with Casey she gave the woman a half smile. "If you called your desk now they could send a photographer. You could have art of the perp walk for the morning edition."

Casey raised her right eyebrow. "Nice call, Shorty."

**14:15**

In the twenty minutes Casey left Jess with before the SVU squad rolled in, she wiped down the two remaining laptops, video camera, desks, chairs and anything else her and her accomplices could have touched. With their garbage gone, cell phone and SIM cards destroyed, the Mustang back at the squad and finger prints wiped clean Jess was confident it would be very difficult to tie Dick or Ken to any of this. She heard a vehicle drive into the load dock below and behind her. Pharaoh was nowhere to be found so she figured Olivia would be safe. The blonde went down to meet the squad.

They had come in a van and it shocked Jess to see Elliot, Morales and Alex exit the van along with the individuals she had requested. The teen only made eye contact with the Captain. She nodded. "Couldn't play it my way, could you?"

Cragen shook his head slightly as he walked up to her. "You know I had to bring everyone. I'm sorry; it has to be this way. What's the situation?"

"Follow me. I'll show you."

The crew walked behind Jess up to the windows. She explained what each laptop did and what she had so far. The blonde cued up the surveillance play-back to where Evan Winthrop was with Pharaoh and Olivia was pistol whipped. In the end, Jess looked at Cragen. "It's up to you how you want to proceed."

The Captain looked around at everyone. No one said anything. What was there to say? The kid had made their entire case for them. Cragen's eyes fell on Alex. "What can you charge Markus Pharaoh with based on this?"

It took a few seconds but Alex realized Cragen was addressing her. She had been watching the current play-out of the surveillance video. Seeing Olivia, even the back of her, for the first time in days brought a sense of relief to the A.D.A. "With him on tape giving Olivia the DVD's that contain the videos we have him on distribution. That video of him with Evan Winthrop and pistol whipping Olivia proves child endangerment and forcible confinement. Once we get inside that warehouse I'll be able to tell you more then. We will have to interview all of the victims and go from there. There is no guarantee any of them will be strong enough to testify."

Cragen looked at Jess. "You said Pharaoh has surveillance cameras pointing out onto the street?"

Jess nodded and pointed out the window towards the left side of the warehouse in front of them. "Yeah, there and on the other side…" She pointed to the right, "right there. I would imagine he has the place wired. I think he's pretty paranoid."

The Captain looked around the room, "Any ideas?"

Fin looked at Jess. "Does Pharaoh come to get Liv at some point?"

"Yes, sometime between 4:30 and 5:00 in the afternoon. She doesn't come back to that room until around 9:00 in the morning," Jess answered.

The detective looked at his Captain. "When Pharaoh comes to get Liv at the end of the day we could shoot him from the roof of this warehouse. Have a bus wait around the corner and we'll call 'em in once the shot is fired."

Stabler spoke for the first time. "The shot would have to be painful enough to keep him down until we got to them but not fatal. Plus it has to be precise. We don't want to hit Olivia or another victim if he brings one with him."

Fin looked from the Captain to Stabler. "We brought an M14 sniper rifle with us. With the sight I can make the shot."

Munch looked at his partner. "You sure you want to do this?"

Fin nodded. "Absolutely."

Morales looked at Jess. "Do you think Pharaoh knows you have been communicating with Olivia?"

Jess shook her head, "No. If he suspected anything it would have been when you were trying to take down the website earlier today. He bought that Livie was actually keeping you out of the site. She's been carful to close down the notepad we've been communicating on before he comes to see her."

The tech nodded. "You could type to Olivia what we plan on doing. That way she stays as far away from Pharaoh as possible."

Cragen shook his head. "It's too risky. If Markus Pharaoh gets wind of anything we are doing, the end result could be fatal for the victims. Leave Olivia out of the loop. Fin, go get the rifle and we'll find a way up to the roof."

The next two hours were spent with Cragen arranging for Brooklyn SWAT to assemble a block away from the warehouses and around the corner. He also assembled eight ambulances behind the SWAT team. Jess gave her formal statement to Munch and Cragen, in front of her laptop, about what she had been up to for the last day and a half. Morales and Alex listened but said nothing. Stabler and Fin got onto the roof and found an ideal place for the detective to take his shot.

As they finished up with Jess's statement Cragen asked her one last time, "Who helped you with all this?"

Jess looked at the Captain and lied to him. She had to. "No one."

Munch looked over his glasses at the teen. "Dick Stabler and Ken Randle were never here? They never helped you?"

"Nope." She made eye contact with Munch as well. She didn't especially like lying to these men but it was in everyone's best interest.

Morales stepped forward and cut in on the conversation. "How did you know it was me trying to take down the website earlier today?"

The blonde looked from Munch to Morales. "I ran a trace on the hacker. It came back to One P.P. Because all of the computers in that building are on the same network I couldn't pinpoint it to you specifically…I just assumed."

The tech looked harder at Jess. "How did you run the trace and keep me out?"

She shrugged. "I used two separate laptops. Once the trace was setup it ran itself, letting me concentrate on keeping you out of the website." Jess looked away for a moment then looked back at Morales with a soft look; something that had been lacking in the kid's eyes since they had arrived. "I'm sorry I had to burn you. I put my signature up so that you would stop. If you had penetrated the site Pharaoh would have killed Livie. I'll help you get your laptop back up and running…I swear."

Jess was definitely hiding information. He also knew it would have been impossible for her to have simultaneously kept him at bay from the website and run the trace, even using two laptops. Morales had seen the shift in the teen's emotions; he knew that Jess's last few statements were true. The tech decided to let the discrepancy go. It was obvious she had help, but without evidence whoever had helped her would never be known. "I know you did what you had to do. I'm not angry with you, but you_ will_ be helping me with my laptop."

Morales had smirked at her as he spoke. Jess took that to mean he wasn't going to ask her any further questions about the trace. They both knew she couldn't have performed the trace at the same time she was keeping him from shutting down the website. She respected him even more for dropping the subject. The teen gave him a sideways look. "Yes, sir." Jess turned and typed on the notepad to Olivia. "I luv u. I'm sorry."

Across the street Olivia noticed Jess typing. She read what the blonde had written. The detective didn't understand the last part, so she typed back. "I luv u 2. Sorry about what?" The teen typed back. "Everything that has happened. Everything that will happen." Olivia was confused. She wrote back, "What's going on?" Before Jess could respond the detective heard footsteps, she quickly typed back, "Pharaoh's coming. Nite baby girl."

Jess typed feverishly as she spoke to Cragan without looking up from the laptop. "Pharaoh is on his way; tell Fin to get ready." Cragen relayed the message via walkie-talkie to the roof.

Olivia saw the message just before she closed the notepad. "DON'T CLOSE NOTEPAD!!!" The detective hesitated and moved it to the right hand corner of the screen as Markus Pharaoh walked into the room.

Jess looked at Cragen. "Give me the walkie-talkie."

Cragen looked at her. "Jess, you have to trust us, I can't."

"Give it to me. If you want Olivia to live, give it to me. I know what Pharaoh will do in the room."

The Captain reluctantly relinquished the walkie-talkie to the teen. She clicked in. "Fin, Pharaoh will talk to Olivia, unlink her shackles from in front of her and then she will stand up. Once she does she will move sideways. Take your shot then."

Fin clicked in. "You got it."

Jess gave the walkie-talkie back to the Captain.

Everyone in the warehouse watched on the surveillance play-out as Markus Pharaoh bent down in front of Olivia and un-linked her shackles. As he did Jess typed on the laptop.

Olivia watched the screen of the computer in front of her. Something was wrong. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. A message flashed in the notepad from Jess, "MOVE SIDEWAYS NOW!!!!!!!" As Pharaoh stood up Olivia dove left, away from him.

Fin watched in the sight of the rifle as Olivia dove. He aimed at Markus Pharaoh and pulled the trigger.

Cragen clicked into the walkie-talkie. "Pharaoh is down! SWAT move in! Get the buses around here, now!"

Munch and Cragen ran from the warehouse across the street to where Pharaoh had been hiding out. SWAT charged in and the ambulances rolled up and followed them inside. Fin and Stabler scrambled off the roof and ran inside the warehouse across the street.

Olivia had kicked Markus's gun away as he reeled in pain on the floor. She knelt beside him, went through his pockets and found the keys to her shackles. The detective had rid herself of the restraints by the time Cragen and Munch entered the room. Both men went over to her and asked if she was okay.

"I'm fine. I'll take you to the victims," she said running out of the room with her co-workers, some SWAT members and several paramedics following her. Two medics stayed behind and worked on Pharaoh, while three SWAT team members aimed their guns at him. Fin and Stabler entered the room and looked down at the medics. "Where is everyone?"

One of the paramedics looked up. "They took off down the hall."

Fin looked at Stabler. "Go find her. I'll stay here."

Stabler flew out of the room and down the hall. He found everyone in one room. More paramedics where looking at the six boys Markus had kidnapped. His eyes fell on his partner and she looked over at him. The look conveyed so much. Cragen looked at Olivia, "Liv, is there anyone else here with Pharaoh?"

She shook her head. "I never saw anyone else, but I could be wrong."

Munch looked at his Captain. "We should search the building."

Cragen nodded. "We'll go together and take the SWAT team with us."

"I'm going with you," Olivia said.

Stabler looked at her. "You can't come. Get looked at by a medic, Liv."

"I know my way around this place. I'm coming with you."

Cragen sighed. "Fine, but you will stay behind us. Just direct us were to go."

They searched the rest of the building and found two men in the kitchen. They apprehended them without any problems.

Across the street Morales looked at the screen of Jess's laptop. He looked at the young woman. "You told Olivia to move away from Pharaoh."

Jess looked at him sheepishly. "Yup. I trust Fin, I really do, but Olivia is my life." She shook her head. "I was never going to let her stay in the line of fire."

Alex looked at Jess. "Thank-you."

The younger blonde leveled a disgusted look at the A.D.A. "I did it for me and Livie, not for you. Stay the hell away from us. I mean it." Jess got up and walked away.

The paramedics filed out of the warehouse two at a time with victims. The first was Markus Pharaoh. Casey Novak and a photographer were waiting for them as they came out. "Is this the man responsible for the child pornography website that Evan Winthrop was seen on?"

Fin put his hand up, but not enough that the photographer couldn't snap a few good shots of Pharaoh on the stretcher.

"Detective, what's this man's name?" Casey asked.

Fin climbed in the ambulance with one of the medics after Pharaoh's stretcher had been rolled in. He looked back at Casey. "His name is Markus Pharaoh, but we believe it's an alias." The second medic closed the doors and they took off for the hospital.

As the medics brought out more victims and the detectives came out with two men in handcuffs. Casey asked more questions and the photographer snapped more shots. The article would be great; the reporter knew she owed her shortstop...big time.

Olivia came out of the building and Jess saw her immediately. "Livie!" She ran across the street but Elliot scooped her up from behind in his arms before the teen could get to the detective. "Let go of me! I want to see Livie!"

Stabler held her, "You can't. Not yet. There is a bench warrant out for your arrest. I need to take you to court first."

The brunette watched as her partner grabbed the kid that had saved her life. She didn't understand. Olivia narrowed her eyes at Elliot. "Let her go!"

Cragen grabbed the detective's arm. "Olivia, there is bench warrant out on Jess. When she didn't appear before Petrovsky the Judge issued the warrant for her arrest. Elliot's got to take her to the Judge before anything else."

"NO!" Jess struggled to break free of Stabler's arms. She held out her arms towards Olivia. "NO!! I want to see her. Let me go, Elliot!!"

Elliot tightened his grip and Jess stopped struggling. Her body went rigid as fear took over. Her eyes went wild as a small whine escaped from her mouth.

Olivia saw the look in the young woman's eyes. Jess was flashing back to being held by Brian Nudds. Elliot was holding her too tight, from behind. The detective's eyes went wild as she screamed at her partner. "Elliot, let her go! You're scaring her! Let her go!"

Dick and Ken had watched the whole scene play-out before their eyes. When Dick saw what his father was doing to his girlfriend he lost control. "What is he doing!?" He took off around the corner but Ken caught up to him and yanked on the back of his t-shirt.

"You have to leave them alone. Your Dad won't hurt Jess."

Dick wheeled around to face Ken. "He _is_ hurting her and he won't let her see Olivia!"

Ken let go of Dick's shirt. "He must have a good reason. I don't know if you have figured this out yet man, but Jess is in a lot of trouble. All that shit we pulled over the last day and a half is fallin' on her right now."

Dick sighed and looked back at his girlfriend twisting in his father's arms and arguing with him. Dick knew Ken was right, but it gave him little comfort as he watched Jess struggle and beg. "Let's get Olivia's car back to the station before everyone gets back there."

Ken nodded as Dick turned to him. The guys walked back to the Mustang and drove it back to the One-six.

Elliot let go of Jess slowly. "I'm sorry, Jess. I'm sorry. I'm not going to hurt you. You have to stay here though. You can't see Olivia yet. I have to take you to the courthouse. The Judge needs to see you first."

Olivia called to Jess through the chaos of the medics and SWAT personnel. "It's okay. Go with Elliot and Alex to the courthouse. I'll meet you there soon. I'll be right behind you."

Tears rolled down Jess's cheeks as she nodded to Olivia. Elliot tried to take the teen's hand to lead her to the car but she pulled away from him. She shot him a sideways glance and spoke through gritted teeth. "Keep your hands off me."

Alex and Morales watched, and heard everything that happened. Elliot and the A.D.A. walked to the van they had all driven to the warehouse in. Jess followed them and got in the back. They drove back to Manhattan and over to 60 Center Street. Alex would have to speak to the Judge's assistant but she knew Petrovsky would meet with them.

Cragen had called in two CSU teams to process the warehouses. Morales ordered all of the computer and surveillance equipment back to Computer Crimes at One Police Plaza. Olivia caught sight of Evan Winthrop and Trey Kingston. They were on stretchers that were side-by-side just outside of separate ambulances. She walked over to them and stood between the stretchers. "Everything is going to be okay now."

Trey looked up at the detective. "Did you kill 'Daddy'?"

Olivia narrowed her eyes slightly. "Who is 'Daddy'?"

"That's what the man told us to call him…when he…when he…", Evan looked down.

The brunette could tell this case was far from over. It would take months of therapy to even begin to help these little boys. None of them may ever be able to face Markus Pharaoh in a courtroom. She shook her head at Evan and Trey. "No, we didn't kill him. We hurt him really badly though. He will never hurt you again. We arrested him and he will be going to jail."

Trey's eyes were dull and almost glazed over. His ordeal was catching up with him. "Where are my parents?"

Olivia smiled slightly. It was the first piece of really good news she could give the victims. "Your parents have been called and they are going to meet you at the hospital."

Evan's face was withdrawn and his eyes mirrored Trey's. He looked up at Olivia. "Thank you for saving us."

The detective looked between the two boys. "You saved yourselves. You survived what that man did to you."

Medics rolled the stretchers the boys were on into the ambulances and closed the doors. Cragen came up behind her. "I want someone to look at that cut on the back of your head."

Olivia turned to him. "I have to get to the courthouse."

Cragen looked back at her. "Not until I have taken your formal statement. This needs to be played by the books, Olivia. Jess pulled a lot of crap out here and I need some straight answers out of you."

The detective nodded. As she was looked over by a paramedic she gave her statement. Munch went to the hospital and Fin joined him there once Pharaoh was secured with guards in his hospital room. The detectives took all six of the boys' statements.

**60 Centre Street**

**Supreme Court**

Chambers of Judge Lena Petrovsky

**Thursday August 20****th****, 17:45**

Alex, Elliot and Jess waited outside the Judge's chambers for her to call them in. Once she did Alex started off the discussion. "Your Honour, this is Jessica O'Malley."

The Judge stood, still in her robe, behind her desk. She looked from Alex to Jess. "This is your computer tech? How old are you?"

Jess looked at the Judge, "16 years old, your Honour."

Petrovsky looked back at Alex. "Computer Crimes hired a 16 year old as a tech and okayed her involvement in a case involving minors in a sex crime?" The Judge scoffed. "Really Alexandra, this is beyond anything I could have ever imagined."

The teen looked from Alex, who was about to speak, to the Judge. Jess got her words out first. "Your Honour, can I please speak to you, alone?"

This time Alex did find her words and they were directed at the shorter blonde standing before her. "I can't let you do that, Jess. Olivia would want me to protect you. She wouldn't want you to say anything…"

Jess cut her off. "Olivia doesn't know what you did. You have no legal rights to me, Alexandra. I want to speak to the Judge." The teen turned to Petrovsky. "May I please speak to you in private?"

The Judge couldn't figure out the dynamic between the A.D.A. and the young woman on the other side of the desk. But she did want to hear what Jessica O'Malley had to say. "Yes, you may. Alexandra and Detective Stabler can wait outside.

Elliot looked at Jess. "Don't do this."

The blonde leveled a nasty look at Stabler. "Don't you have paperwork to file with Cragen?"

Stabler and Alex turned and left Jess and the Judge alone; although neither wanted to.

Petrovsky looked across her desk at the teenager. "Miss O'Malley, you look as if you have been through quite an ordeal. You do know that I ordered a bench warrant for your arrest?"

The teenager nodded but said nothing.

"Why don't you have a seat?" The Judge pointed to the two chairs in front of Jess.

Jess nodded and sunk into one of the chairs. With the six victims out of Markus Pharaoh's hands and Olivia safe, it was the first chance the blonde had to actually breathe a sigh of relief. Petrovsky watched the teen's body language. "Would you like something to drink?" She pointed to a mini fridge.

The blonde gave a half-smile. "Sure. Do you have a Coke?"

Petrovsky smiled and opened the fridge. She fished out two cans of Coke and slid one across her desk to Jess. The Judge set the other can down on her desk and took off her robe. She hung it on a coat rack beside her and turned back to Jess. "Am I going to need something stronger than a soda to hear what you have to say, Miss O'Malley?"

The teen's smile grew wider across her face. "Definitely. But please your Honour, call me Jess."

The Judge opened the third drawer of her desk and grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniels and a glass. She poured a small amount of liquor into the glass and filled the rest with Coke. She sat down in her chair and looked at Jess. "For the purposes of this meeting you should probably call me Lena. Now Jess…start from the beginning."

Jess opened the can, took a swig and set it back on the Judge's desk. She settled back into the chair, her feet no longer touched the floor. "Your Honour…I mean Lena…" The Judge smiled at her and nodded her head. "The problem with starting at the beginning is that I have to go back three months in time."

Lena Petrovsky took at long drink from the glass that was now in her hand. After she swallowed she looked at the young woman seated before her. "You were right about needing a stiff drink for this. So Jess, what happened three months ago?"

The blonde looked back at the Judge. "I met Detective Olivia Benson."

Jess told Petrovsky everything. She had to. It was the only way to save the case against Ronald Blaze and keep the one that would be levied against Markus Pharaoh clean. She knew if even one thing she did was deemed illegal, everything she had gathered after that against Blaze or Pharaoh would be thrown out. Alex had taught her the term 'fruit of the poison tree' and what it meant. Even as she spoke Jess knew what she was saying, the lengths she had gone too, sounded absurd. The Judge listened, intently, to the whole story. She saved her questions until the end…and she did have questions. She also had some advice that Jess took to heart. As they wrapped up a light knock came from the door to the Judge's chambers. Petrovsky looked at Jess and she nodded back. The Judge spoke. "Come in."

The door opened and Olivia walked through the doorway. Jess's eyes lit up. She turned to the Judge. "Your Honour, may I please hug Olivia?"

Petrovsky gave a half-smile. It was back to business as usual and the teen had caught on. The Judge nodded. "Yes."

The blonde vaulted over the chair, landed on her feet in front of Olivia and threw her arms around her as tears formed in her eyes. The detective wrapped her arms around her little woman. "Thank you for saving me."

Jess smiled through her tears. "I was never going to let you go."

Elliot and Alex walked into the Judge's chambers. The A.D.A. looked at Petrovsky. "Your Honour, I'm not sure what Jessica O'Malley has told you but the people are ready to proceed with their case against Ronald Blaze."

The Judge held up her hands as she stood. "Alexandra, calm down. I am dismissing the 180.80 in that case. We will be in recess until Monday morning. I am giving Miss O'Malley and detective Benson that long to recuperate from what they have been through." Petrovsky looked from Alex to Olivia. "You have an amazing foster daughter, Detective Benson. Take good care of her."

Olivia nodded. "I will, your Honour."

"Good. Now if there is nothing else, please get out of my chambers."

Everyone filed out of Petrovsky's chambers. Jess was the last to leave. She looked back at the Judge and winked. "Thanks", she mouthed.

The Judge smiled and mouthed. "You're welcome."

Jess closed the door behind everyone and stood beside Olivia, gripping her right hand. Elliot looked at her. "Was Dickie with you this last day-and-a-half?"

The young blonde narrowed her eyes at him and spoke with anger. "No! I haven't seen him. I worked alone in the warehouse."

Alex kept her distance as she spoke to Jess. "Are you sure you are going to be able to testify on Monday? We could go over your testimony?"

Jess rolled her eyes and practically spit nails at the older blonde. "I'll be fine on Monday. I don't need you to prep me, Alexandra."

Olivia watched in disbelief. Why was Jess so angry? "What's going on here? Why are you so angry with Alex and Elliot?"

The teen looked at the brunette but nodded to the other adults. "Why don't you ask them?"

Elliot and Alex looked from Olivia to the floor. The brunette narrowed her eyes. "Somebody better tell me what the hell is going on here?"

Jess shook her head as she looked at Alex and Elliot. "Fuckin' punks." She turned her gaze to Olivia. "They lied to me about where you were…about what happened to you. I texted your phone everyday that you were gone because Alexandra and Elliot told me you were on a detail. On Monday night I received a text from your phone."

Olivia's jaw had dropped slightly as Jess filled her in. "But I didn't have my phone."

The shorter blonde raised her right eyebrow. "I know that now, but I didn't then. I thought you were working. You always text me when you work, no matter what. I was getting really upset that you hadn't texted me back so Alex used your cell phone and sent me a message pretending to be you. When I texted you back I heard your cell vibrate in the drawer beside Alex's bed. I opened the drawer and found your phone. I left Alex's place, went to the squad room and found out, from the media board, that you had been abducted."

The detective looked to her partner and her ex-girlfriend, "Is this true?"

They nodded back to her. "We never meant for Jess to find out that way. I mean…" Elliot closed his eyes and sighed. He opened them again and looked at Olivia. "We never meant for her to find out you were gone at all. We wanted to spare her that ugliness."

"Well you failed, miserably! You weren't even close to finding Livie!" Jess screamed. Her voice echoed in hall of the courthouse. She lowered her voice. "You were supposed to protect her, Elliot. You were supposed to keep her safe. Where the fuck were you in the park?"

Stabler lowered his head. "I know…the park was my fault. I know."

Olivia was about to speak but Jess beat her to it. "You're damn right it was your fault. If you had been doing your job you could have spared Olivia the ugliness of Markus Pharaoh!"

"That is enough!" Olivia grabbed Jess's wrist and jerked it.

Jess tried to pull it away, out of the detective's grip. "Awww, stop it! Let go of me."

"Listen to me. Stop struggling," the detective said in a calm tone.

The teen looked up at Olivia and stopped moving. "Jess, what happened in the park wasn't Elliot's fault."

Jess pulled her wrist again, trying to get it out of Olivia's hand. "Yes it was!"

The brunette's eyes narrowed as her voice got louder. "Jessie, stop!"

The blonde pulled harder out of anger. "No! It was Elliot's fault. He was your handler!"

Olivia knew it wouldn't take much more. Jess's voice had broken as she spoke her last sentence. She softened her tone. "Stop it. You know it wasn't his fault."

"It was…it was…he was supposed to protect you…he…he…" The last sentence had come out as a sob.

Jess collapsed into Olivia and the detective supported her. She stroked the blonde curls on the teen's head. "Shhhhh. It's okay."

Tears stung in Alex's eyes as her heart ached. She looked at Olivia and her detective looked back at her. Their daughter was broken…and the three adults closest to her were responsible. Olivia mouthed to Alex's "It's okay". The A.D.A. shook her head. It was so far from okay.

Olivia looked between Elliot and Alex. "I'm taking Jess home. We will hash this out in the morning."

They nodded to her and Jess and Olivia walked out of the courthouse. The pair grabbed a cab at the bottom of the stairs of 60 Center Street and went back to Olivia's apartment. Both women took a shower and curled up in the brunette's bed. Jess and Olivia laid facing each other. The brunette was the first to speak. "How did you find me?"

Jess took Olivia's left hand in hers and slipped the ring off her ring finger. She flipped it over and pointed out the tiny round silver disk. "GPS tracking device."

Olivia's eyes widened as she took the ring from Jess. "When did you put that on there?"

The blonde yawned and then answered. "On the boat the other day."

The detective put her arms around the young woman and the blonde had her left arm draped over Olivia side. "Thank you," were the last words said between the pair. Under the covers, with the shadows growing long in the room, in the arms of the person she felt safest with, Jess finally closed her eyes and fell asleep. Olivia, too, found solace in the closeness of the child she loved so much. It didn't take long for the detective to fall asleep as well.

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Residence of Detective Olivia Benson**

**Friday August 21****st****, 08:35**

Jess woke first. She crawled out of Olivia's arms and, out of pure habit, padded out in her bare feet first to get the paper and then to the kitchen. The teen looked at the front of the paper. Casey's name made the byline on the front page of The New York Times. Jess grinned. She made breakfast and brought it back to the detective's bedroom. The brunette was awake when the food was brought in. They ate in silence. When they were done Olivia took the dishes to the kitchen and went back to her room. While she was out of the room the tiny blonde retrieved the detective's shield and placed it on the bedside table.

Jess was lying down under the covers with her head on a pillow; Olivia's pillow. The brunette sighed quietly. It broke her heart to see her little girl grasp at something as irrelevant as a pillow to create normality and stability. She had seen Jess do this early on in their relationship but she had gotten past it. Now she was right back where she started and she had missed her therapy appointment the day before.

The detective looked at the nightstand beside the bed. Her Detective's shield was sitting on it. She shook her head as she made a mental note to ask Jess about it later. Olivia crawled into bed and under the covers. She pulled the other pillow over and put it under her head. As she laid on her back Jess turned toward her and nestled beside her. The young woman put her arm over the detective and gripped her shirt with the fist of her left arm. Olivia wanted to work out what happened while she was in the warehouse, but she was exhausted and Jess clearly wasn't ready. It took less than two minutes for both women to fall asleep again.

Olivia woke next in the late afternoon. Jess hadn't moved, although she was no longer gripping her shirt. She reached for the phone on the bedside table and quietly made two phone calls. She would get the entire story out of Jess tonight and they would speak to Elliot and Alex on Saturday, in the squad room.

The blonde moved her head slightly at the light touches to her head. She nuzzled Olivia's side as she came out of sleep. She knew it was the brunette stroking her hair, she could smell the faint scent of her perfume on the shirt she was wearing. Jess opened her eyes slowly and held Olivia's side with her left hand, hugging her. The detective smiled. "I love you too, Jessie."

Jess smiled and looked up at the brunette, she smiled back. "You know we need to talk about this."

The smile faded from the teen's face as she propped herself up on her elbows. "I know."

"Okay, I understand that you are angry with Elliot and Alex for lying to you. That's valid. Blaming Elliot for Markus Pharaoh abducting me in the park isn't. It's not his fault and you know it. He was right there, behind me. Pharaoh knew who I was. He called me by name just before he knocked me out. He knew it was a set-up. Elliot did everything he could…the sting went south. You know that happens sometimes."

The teen narrowed her eyes. "Not when you are in the middle of it." She rolled over on her back. Olivia rolled onto her side and looked down at the blonde. "Stop this. I am not immune to bad things. I am a detective in New York City. Shit is going to happen, Jessie, whether I am chasing down a perp or interrogating a suspect. No matter who is handling me in a sting. It's the nature of my job."

"It isn't fair," Jess sounded like a spoiled child. She wouldn't even make eye contact with Olivia

"Jessie, you sound infantile. You know what I do for a living. Do you want me to quit?"

"No," the teen pouted.

"What is really going on here? I know you are mad at Alex and Elliot but they were only trying to protect you. They love you Jess, they never meant to lie to you."

Jess's eyes shot up and looked into Olivia's deep brown eye. "What about you?"

Olivia's eyes widened. "What about me?"

"Did you mean to lie to me? You promised me you wouldn't leave me; that you would always be here for me," Jess hissed.

The brunette's jaw dropped the same time her heart did. "Jess…"

The blonde started to cry. "You lied to me. You broke your promise. I know you didn't mean to, but you did."

"I know…I know I did. Jessie, here is nothing I can do, nothing I can say to fix this. I wish I could, but I can't." Olivia fought back tears. "I can't even promise it won't happen again. Having you in my life is the most incredible thing to ever happen to me. But you have paid such a high price for that. I hate it, Jess, I really do."

Jess watched as Olivia's eyes grew darker with pain. "I want to be in your life. I don't want to be anywhere else. I need you. It's just…when I saw your face on the monitor and the word abducted underneath I couldn't…I just couldn't…"

"Deal with it?" The detective finished her sentence. The teen nodded. Olivia sighed. "I'll quit."

"No," Jess whined.

"I can file for a transfer. I'll sit at desk or go back to computer crimes."

"No," The teen whined again.

"Jessie, what do you want me to do?"

The blonde swallowed hard. She hadn't meant to ask like this. Jess had wanted to say the right things in the right way. Instead she blurted it out. "I want you to adopt me."

Olivia's eyes widened. "What?"

Jess sighed. "I want you to adopt me. I don't want DCFS to be able to take me away from you. I want to be your family…really be your family."

The detective smiled slightly. "I want that too. Jess, I really want that too."

The young woman hugged Olivia and she held the teen. When they let go of each other Olivia looked down at Jess. "I don't understand. How does me adopting you fix what is really going on?"

Jess shook her head. "It doesn't. Nothing will. You are a detective with the Special Victims Unit. I've known this since we met. I understand what you do and why you do it; but that doesn't make it any easier or less scary for me. Having you in danger isn't something I will ever get used to, Livie. But you leaving SVU isn't something I can live with."

Olivia looked harder at Jess. "You sure about this? About all of it?"

The blonde nodded. "Yeah, I don't want to you leave SVU."

"One more thing, how did my detective's shield end up here in my room?"

Jess looked away from Olivia. "I took it out of your desk the morning I found out you were missing." The blonde looked at the detective. "I'm sorry. I don't even know why I took it. I just…I don't know. I guess I felt like it was a piece of you. Like, if I had it with me…"

She trailed off but Olivia finished her sentence. "It would be like having me close to you?"

The teen nodded.

The detective smiled. "It's okay, I understand. You hungry?"

"Hell yeah. Pizza?" the blonde grinned.

"Totally. Phone in the order and we'll pick it up in 20 minutes from around the corner." Jess grabbed her iPhone off the bedside table and dialed the number. She placed the order and 15 minutes later the women left the apartment for the first time in almost a day.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven: Cutting Deep**

**Manhattan's SVU Squad Room**

**Saturday August 22****nd****, 10:00**

Elliot, Olivia and Alex sat in the conference room and discussed what happened while she was in the warehouse with Markus Pharaoh and his six victims. Jess had been sitting at her desk. Munch and Fin were back interviewing the victims. Alex and the SVU squad had worked most of Thursday and all day Friday compiling the evidence against Pharaoh. In the end, Alex had charged him with distribution of child pornography, six counts of kidnapping and forcible confinement of a minor, one count of kidnapping and forcible confinement of a police officer and, so far, four counts of child sexual abuse. Evan Winthrop, Jacob Martinez, Quentin Stevenson and Trey Kingston were all able to give statements about what Markus Pharaoh had done to them in the warehouse. Alex met with them and their families on Friday and decided they would be strong enough to testify. Nathan Chan and Kyle Ryan had not been able to give full statements about what had happened to them. Fin and Munch would try again, but the victims were fragile.

Jess leaned back in her chair so she was able to see inside Captain Cragen's doorway. The man was sitting at his desk going over his detective's DD5's from Thursday. The blonde sighed, stood up and walked over to Cragen's office. She knocked on the door frame and he looked up. "Come in."

The teen wasn't sure where to begin. "I'm sorry."

Cragen leaned back in his chair. "For what?"

She shrugged. "Everything. I probably should have called you earlier…I mean I know I should have."

The Captain shook his head. "Look, Jess, you did what you had to do. I'm not saying it was the best decision you could have made, but…I understand it."

"Did I hurt those boys more by not calling you sooner?" Jess pushed back the urge to cry.

Cragen furrowed his brow as he looked up at her. "Yes and no." At least he was being honest with her, Jess thought to herself. "If you had called us earlier we would have stopped Markus Pharaoh sooner. But we wouldn't have the mountain of evidence to bury him like we do now. It's a catch-22, Jess."

She nodded. "How do I accept the fact that Livie might die doing this job?"

"You don't." The Captain shook his head. "If you do then I'd be worried. It's not a matter of accepting it; it's a matter of learning to live despite it. Talk to Kathy Stabler…or Alex."

The teen shook her head. "I'm not speaking to Alex."

"She was just trying to protect you. Alex came to us and the squad decided not to tell you the truth. You should be mad at all of us."

Jess raised her right eyebrow. "The squad didn't text me and pretend to be Liv. The squad didn't pretend to love me and then lie to my face."

Cragen narrowed his eyes. "Alex didn't pretend to love you, Jess…she does love you. That's why she worked so hard to keep the truth from you. She never wanted you to hurt the way you did when you saw Olivia's picture on that monitor."

Although Cragen was right, and Jess knew it, her heart couldn't shake the betrayal she felt. Jess changed the subject. "Did Elliot file paperwork with you?"

The Captain opened the top right hand drawer and pulled out a file. He threw it across the desk; Jess picked it up and opened it. She skimmed the three pages and set the file down on the desk. "You gonna sign Elliot's transfer papers?"

Cragen raised his brow. "That depends. You know he's only doing this because you told him to."

The teen nodded her head. Cragen continued. "Olivia and Elliot are good partners, Jess. Do you really think this is what Liv would want?"

Jess closed the file and slid it in front of the Captain. "She'll get over it. You'll assign her another partner and she will be fine."

Cragen sighed and Olivia walked into his office. She smiled at him and then looked at Jess. "Come with me."

The blonde nodded to the Captain and followed Olivia into the conference room. She sat beside her, and across the table from Alex and Elliot. Olivia started. "Jess, you know that what happened in the park to me wasn't Elliot's fault."

"So I've been told."

Elliot looked at Jess, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. "Jess, I am so sorry that I couldn't save Olivia. I tried…I really tried."

Jess remained silent and stared down at the table. Olivia looked at her. "You have to forgive El. It wasn't his fault. I know that and so do you. Forgive him." The young woman continued to stare at the table. Olivia's eyes widened. "I mean it, Jess, say it!"

The blonde looked at the woman beside her as she spoke. "Fine…I forgive him. Happy?"

Olivia nodded her head. "Oh, I'm thrilled," she said sarcastically. "Why can't you see past what El and Alex did? You know they were just trying to protect you!"

Jess stood up suddenly, sending the chair she had been sitting in backwards. "I don't need protection! I don't need things sugarcoated for me and I don't need to be handled like a child! After all the shit I have seen and the crap I've been through, do you really think I couldn't have handled the truth?!"

Alex looked across the table at the younger blonde. "It wasn't that we didn't think you could handle it, it's that we wanted to spare you the ugliness."

The teen narrowed her eyes at the A.D.A. "Oh…I see. So not telling me the truth was to spare me, but lying to me, pretending to be Livie in that text message…what was that?"

"A mistake. I messed up. I'm sorry, Jess. You were so upset and I just wanted you to hold on until Liv came back."

Jess shook her head and gestured with her hands in front of her. "Of course I was upset! I though Liv was ignoring me. I thought she hated me for what I said to her in Cragen's office. If you had told me the truth I wouldn't have thought that."

Elliot looked hard at the young woman. "Are you telling us that if we had told you the truth you wouldn't have been upset?"

"No, that's not what I am saying at all. I said I wouldn't have thought Liv hated me. If you had told me she had been abducted I would have been devastated. It scared the shit out of me to read that word under her picture on that monitor. At least I would have known what was really happening; how much danger she was really in. I deserve to know these things!"

Alex knew Jess was right. At the time though, faced with having to tell the young woman the truth she couldn't have done it. "You're right. We should have told you what really happened to Liv. You did deserve to know the truth. I am so sorry. You have no idea how much I regret lying to you."

Jess's eyes filled with tears as she looked at the older blonde. "Do you have any idea how much it hurts to be betrayed by someone you love so much?" Her gaze turned to Elliot. "You were the first man I could stand to be around after my attack. You were the first one to treat me like me and not a victim." She looked down at the table and then back at Elliot. "I trusted you. I believed you would always tell me the truth, no matter what, when it came to Olivia. I hate you for lying to me." Tears fell down the young woman's cheeks as she turned to Alex. "Both of you." Jess left the room and walked to the stairwell. She hustled down the stairs, through the bullpen on the ground floor and out of the building into the sunlight.

Olivia looked across the table at her partner and her ex-lover. "She'll come around. She's hurt right now but that will lessen over time. You'll see."

Elliot came around the table and his partner stood up. "I would do anything to go back and make this right…all of it. Pharaoh should have never gotten you."

"El, stop." Olivia said, shaking her head. "He made me. There was no way to know that. You did everything right."

Elliot hugged his partner and she hugged him back. It was rare that he showed this much emotion but it felt right, for both partners. They let go of each other and became lost in the others eye's for a moment. "I fucked up with Jess. I don't know why I didn't tell her the truth. I am going to make it up to her though."

Olivia gave him a half-smile. "You didn't tell her the truth because you love her. You two have always had this…thing. The looks you give each other, the sly comments, the cook-offs. Jess will come around, El. You'll see."

He nodded and walked out of the room in order to leave the two women alone. Olivia went over to Alex and sat beside her. "Elliot isn't the only one who has bonded with Jess. You and she have always gotten along so well. She loves reading about your cases and spending time with you. It will take time, but she will forgive you."

Alex looked into Olivia's deep brown eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't do the right thing with Jess. I thought I could take care of her until the squad found you. I tried Liv, I really did."

The brunette hugged Alex. "Baby, I know you did. You did a great job with her. I really appreciated what you did. Stepping in and taking care of Jess means so much to me. I wouldn't have wanted anyone else to watch her."

The women let go of each other. "I hate what I did to her."

Olivia looked into the deep blue eyes of the woman she still loved so much. "I know you do. You did it to protect her though, Al, and that shows just how much you love her. It proves the lengths you will go to for our little girl. She has changed you, changed your priories. You have changed hers, though too. Don't kid yourself, our daughter loves you and she needs you in her life. Her anger will fade, Al...you'll see."

Alex prayed that Olivia was right about that. It was hard for the A.D.A. to imagine her life without the shorter blonde.

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Residence of Detective Olivia Benson**

**Sunday August 23rd, 09:35**

Jess and Olivia sat at the kitchen table eating breakfast. The detective looked up from the Times and over at the blonde sitting across from her. "Do you have plans with Dick today?"

Although the teen was knee-deep in the Sudoku she looked up at the brunette. "Naw, not today. I told him I wanted to hang here with you."

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"Monday, he came to my baseball game and then went to dinner with me, Cass and Alexandra."

Olivia narrowed her eyes. "This is the longest you two have gone without seeing each other."

Jess nodded her head. "Yeah…and?"

"Nothing, it just seems odd to me that you don't want to see him."

"It isn't that I don't want to see him. It's that I want to see you more. I just…" the teen sighed, "want to be close to you today. Is that okay?"

The detective smiled and nodded. She dropped the subject and went back to the paper. The blonde went back to the Sudoku. Olivia did say one last thing without looking up. "Lucky break Novak got…being outside the warehouse when we brought Pharaoh out."

"Mmmmm," Jess murmured without looking up from the puzzle. She knew the detective had her in her lies. The teen also knew Olivia would never call her on any of them…it would mean implicating too many people.

The pair spent the day in Washington Square Park, sun tanning and reading with their feet in the fountain. They went to a bar a block from the park for dinner and then went back to Olivia's apartment. Jess got into her pj's, walked into Olivia's bedroom and climbed up on the bed. The brunette looked up from her book and grinned at her. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

Jess got under the covers and snuggled up to the detective. "Want. I want you to read to me."

Olivia was slightly taken aback. The blonde had not asked her to read to her in well over a month. She put her arm around the young woman and looked down at her. "Ummm…I'm not sure you are going to want to hear some of the things in this book."

The teen looked up and met Olivia's eyes. "Why…what are you reading?"

"Let's just say there are some scenes of sexuality."

Jess grinned. "Livie, are you reading a dirty book?"

The detective's cheeks took on a red hue as she grinned. "Maybe…"

The blonde burst out laughing.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Why don't I read you the book you are reading?"

Jess stopped laughing instantly. "No way."

"Oh…why is that?" The detective asked in a coy tone

"Cause…" the blonde's cheeks turned pink and her green eyes darken.

Olivia's jaw dropped slightly as her grin got wider. "Oh my God! You are reading a dirty book, too!"

The young woman buried her head in the brunette's side. A muffled and embarrassed "So" came from her mouth.

The detective moved and then wrestled with Jess a little in order for them to be face to face. "Sooo…people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

Jess giggled. "You're not mad?"

Olivia shook her head. "No. I mean…I'm not sure you should be reading stuff like that." The detective narrowed her eyes. "Wait…are you _doing_ stuff like that."

The teen shrugged and the older woman's eyes widened. "Jess, are you and Dick having sex?"

She thought for a minute before answering. Jess knew she wouldn't be able to lie to Olivia. "Yes."

"You're 16!"

"So?"

"Jess, that is too young to be having sex."

The blonde gave Olivia a sideways glance. "Dick wasn't my first."

Olivia raised her right eyebrow. "Really?"

"Really. Look, Dick and I talked a lot about it before we had sex. We waited until I was ready. He listens to me. He never does anything I don't want to do. I'm on the pill and we use condoms."

"So you've got this whole sex thing handled then?"

Jess smiled. "Yes. Don't worry, if I had questions or needed advice I would ask."

Olivia looked into the blonde's green eyes. "I really hope you do. Now…your dirty book or mine?"

The blonde tickled the detective. "Yours, it's right here. My book isn't that dirty; there are just a couple of sexy scenes. It's no big deal. Plus you could read me the phone book, I really don't care. I just want to be here…with you."

The older woman gently tickled the young woman back. "I'm not going anywhere."

They settled down and Jess curled back up against Olivia. The brunette starting reading out loud and got through two chapters of the slightly smutty crime novel before falling asleep; Jess has lasted for a full chapter before she fell asleep.

**The New York Times Building**

**620 Eighth Avenue **

**Sunday August 23****rd****, 12:17 **

Casey met the A.D.A. outside of work. She found it strange that Alex would call, on a Sunday and pretty much demand to speak. She nodded at the blonde as she walked up to her.

"Casey." Alex said, nodding back.

"What can I do for you, Alex?"

"I think we have some unfinished business."

The reporter's brow shot up in surprise. "Really?"

Alex narrowed her eyes slightly, showing that she was annoyed with the woman standing before her. "I asked you if you had talked to Jess on Wednesday and you said you hadn't. I asked you if you did hear from her to call me, you said that you would. Why did you lie about hearing from her?"

The strawberry blonde squinted her eyes, behind her sunglasses. "I didn't lie to you. I hadn't heard from her on Wednesday when you asked me."

"Drop the innocent crap, Casey. You did hear from her at some point and didn't call me, why?" Alex had become increasingly more angry as the days past after the ordeal at the warehouse. She was angry about many things and the ex-A.D.A. standing in front of her was one of those things.

"Jess called me on Thursday. She asked me to meet her and I did. She took me to the warehouse and I told her to call it in. I stood there while she called Cragen. I knew you would be notified, so I didn't call you." Casey said, in an annoyed tone. _Who did Alexandra Cabot think she was? _

"You still should have called me as soon as Jess contacted you!" Alex said through clenched teeth.

"Listen, it was a judgment call. I wanted to meet with Jess, find out what had been going on with her and then I was going to call you. When she showed me everything she had been working on I demanded that she call the squad immediately. What more did you want?"

"A phone call as soon as you hung up with Jess. She is my daughter, Novak!" Alex said, gesturing towards Casey.

"Jess is Olivia's daughter, not yours. I had every intention of calling you as soon as I saw her. You're obviously never going to believe me. This conversation is over." Casey turned to leave but Alex grabbed her arm.

"You're right; I'm never going to believe you. I know you where never going to call me. How does it feel to have used a teenager to get the front-page story, Novak." The blonde said in an eerily calm tone.

"I didn't use Jess, I care about her; although apparently you and the D.A.'s office have no trouble using her to make your child pornography case. Tell me Cabot, how does it feel knowing Jess saw each and every one of those videos on that disgusting website?" Casey asked in an angry tone as she yanked her arm out of the A.D.A's grip.

"Don't you ever bring that up again. You used that little girl to get your name in the by-line. At least I got a child molester off the street. Stay away from Jess." Alex said, pointing to Casey.

"At least Jess wants to see me; I hear she doesn't want to ever see you again. Oh and Cabot, if you touch me again, I'll have you arrested." Casey seethed. She turned and went back into The Times Building.

Alex closed her eyes and sighed. She missed Jess more than anything.

**60 Centre Street**

**Supreme Court**

Courtroom of Judge Lena Petrovsky

**Monday August 24****th****, 09:06**

Court had come to order and Alex was addressing the room. "The people are ready to proceed in this case. I call Jessica O'Malley to the stand."

Jess was sworn in and Alex asked her numerous questions including explaining her work on not only finding Ronald Blaze's address but also finding the encrypted files on his external hard drive. She was cross-examined by Blaze's attorney. He tried to trick and discredit her on the stand but Jess told the truth and her testimony was strong. Petrovsky called recess for lunch. Olivia asked Alex to lunch with her and Jess. The three women ate at a restaurant around the corner from the courthouse. Alex and Olivia talked while Jess IM'd with Dick on her phone. About 15 minutes into the lunch the detective looked at the shorter blonde. "Are you going to join this lunch or not?"

The teen looked up from her phone. "I'm texting Dick."

Olivia shook her head. "Not anymore your not. Eat and talk to us. You can text your boyfriend later."

Jess rolled her eyes but put the phone down.

Alex and Olivia talked while Jess ate her lunch in silence. The older blonde addressed the younger one. "You gave great testimony, Jessie."

"I told the truth. It wasn't that hard," she said with no real emotion.

The A.D.A. couldn't tell if Jess had meant the statement to be a dig at her or not. She continued to try and have a conversation with the young woman. "I think I can make your game tonight. It's in Chelsea Park again, right?"

Jess shook her head slightly and spoke quietly. "I don't want you to come. I told you to stay out of my life." She looked at Olivia. "I'll meet you back in the courthouse." The teen got up from the table, grabbed her phone and left the restaurant.

The brunette look across the table; Alex looked crushed. "Al, she loves you. You know that. Just give her some time."

Alex looked at Olivia with tears in her eyes. "The opposite of love isn't hate…its intolerance. Our daughter can't even stand to sit at a table with me and have lunch."

Olivia shook her head. "Jess will come around," the detective narrowed her eyes. "When did Jess tell you to stay out of her life?"

Without thinking the blonde told the truth about what had been said in the conference room between herself, Elliot and Jess. "That morning she went to the squad room and found your picture on the monitor. She told me to stay out of both your lives and told Elliot to transfer out of Special Victims."

"What?! Alex why didn't you tell me? Why didn't Elliot tell me?"

Alex looked across the table, withdrawn. "Jess was angry and devastated. Her whole world had just fallen apart. I didn't think she meant what she was saying." She looked to the empty seat where Jess had been sitting moments earlier. "I miss-judged her."

"And Elliot?"

She nodded her head still looking at the empty seat. "El knew Jess was serious. He put in his transfer papers."

"I have to talk to him." Olivia pulled out her cell phone and hit Elliot's name in her contacts. "Did Cragen sign them?"

Alex shook her head. "I'm not sure."

"El, it's me. Call me back." The detective closed the phone and looked at Alex. "I don't want another partner."

The women paid the cheque, left the restaurant and went back to the courthouse.

Petrovsky called court back into session and Olivia was called as the next witness. She had opted to wear a tight black skirt, a skin tight blue silky blouse and three-inch black pumps. As opposed to Jess, who had worn black dress pants, a tight black blouse and black and pink DC skate shoes. From her vantage point in the gallery, the shorter blonde could see the taller one bite her bottom lip as she looked at Olivia. Jess's gaze went to the detective. The right side of the brunette's mouth tugged up with the hint of a smile. Jess couldn't believe it. Even though they had lunch together and after everything Alex had put Liv though she had still dressed to make the blonde sweat…and it had worked.

Olivia's testimony was accurate and factual. Even on cross-examination the detective never faltered. After she stepped down Petrovsky recessed court until the morning. Alex and Olivia said goodbye to each other and brunette nodded to Jess. They left the courtroom together and outside the doors the detective had it out with the teen. "You had no right telling Alex to stay out of my life. She is my friend Jess, you know that."

Jess pointed at the courtroom doors. "She left us!"

"No! No she didn't. Alex and I spilt up. You know that. How many times do we have to go over this? She loves you!"

The blonde shook her head but said nothing.

Olivia continued. "Why the hell did you tell Elliot to transfer out of SVU?"

"I did what had to be done," Jess said looking down at the ground.

The detective's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

Jess looked up at her and narrowed her eyes. "You heard me."

Olivia's jaw dropped and her eyes filled with rage. "You had better reel yourself in, Jessica. My life is none of your business. Do you hear me?"

The blonde stood in silence.

"Do you hear me?!"

Jess nodded.

"Elliot is my partner. I don't want another partner. He is a good cop, Jessica." Olivia shook her head. "I just…I can't believe this is happening. He put in his papers, Jess!" The detective walked away and left the blonde standing in the hall of the courthouse.

Olivia went to the squad room and Jess went home to change and get her baseball gear.

Dick was the only one Jess knew in the small bleachers during the game. She had thought about talking to him about what had happened between her and Olivia earlier but decided against it. She said goodbye to him after the game and told him she would see him tomorrow. Casey watched Jess see her boyfriend off after the game. There was definitely something wrong with the shortstop. When she came back to the dugout to pack up her gear the strawberry blonde spoke to her, "What's wrong, Shorty?"

Jess shook her head. "Nothin'"

"What am I, stupid? Look at me," Casey said.

The teen looked up at her and she continued. "What's wrong?"

They were alone in the fenced-in dugout now. Jess had no one else to talk to. Everyone else was too close to the situation. It was Casey or no one and the blonde was starting to lose her grip; she had missed two therapy appointments. "I fucked up."

Casey shook her head. "You got in pretty deep with that Pharaoh case."

"No, not that," Jess shook her head. "I fucked up with Livie. I told Elliot to transfer out of SVU because I thought he let Pharaoh take Liv. I was so angry with him for losing her that I told him to put in his paperwork."

The taller woman raised her brow. "Did he?"

Jess nodded. "Liv is pissed. She doesn't want another partner."

"They are a good team. Elliot and Liv complement each other, Shorty, and they are both good cops. I know you are angry with him but that's a decision Elliot needed to make on his own. He put in his papers because he loves you and feels guilty, not because he wants to."

"Do you honestly think I don't know that?!" Jess sighed. She was angry at herself, not Casey. The blonde lowered her voice. "Cass, help me fix this. What do I do?"

The strawberry blonde looked down at Jess. The kid was broken. "Go to Elliot. Make it right with him. You are angry with the situation. Jess, you have taken it out on everyone around you but the truth is: shit happens. There is nothing anyone could have done to save Liv."

"What do I do with the anger?" Jess asked in a withdrawn tone.

Casey shook her head. "I don't know. Everyone is different. I go to the batting cages and hit balls until I can't lift my arms anymore." She took the younger woman's face in her right hand. "Liv jogs and Elliot shoots hoops or hits the bag in the locker room at work. Do what you need to do, but at the end of the day, Jess, talk to El."

Jess nodded and hugged Casey. "Thanks, Cass."

**Manhattan's SVU Squad Room **

**Monday August 24****th****, 22:12**

On the subway ride uptown the teenager went over the last week in her mind. Jess felt as though she had lost everything. She had gotten some of her life back but it seemed disjointed. She had Olivia but not Alex. She had worked a case and gotten charges to stick against a perp, but she had done it without the SVU squad or Morales.

When she walked into the bullpen it was empty. It hadn't surprised her, it was late. Jess wasn't sure what had drawn her to the squad room but she knew she had to come up there. The blonde ran her hand over Elliot's desk and then Olivia's. She sat at her own desk, dropped her ball gear on the floor and looked around. What had she done? Anger filled Jess. She stood up, walked down the hall and into the locker room. The teen grabbed the tape on the way in and started wrapping her hands and wrists the way Munch had shown her. She put on the gloves, stepped up to the bag and hit it. On the downswing she hit it again.

Jess thought about each of the six little boys she had seen in Markus Pharaoh's videos and she hit the bag again. She remembered seeing Olivia's picture on the monitor and hit the bag. She thought about how hard it would be for Elliot and Olivia to be separated and hit the bag. Jess wondered how difficult it would be for Alex and Olivia to be apart and hit the bag. Rage took over as she thought about how it was her fault that Alex and Olivia hadn't worked out. As the blonde hit the bag tears started to run down her cheeks. She hated herself for what she had done. Although she could barely see through her tears she continued to throw punches. All she could hear were her own thoughts. What had she done?

Her arms felt like lead but she kept swinging them. She had everything and lost it all. The bag became harder to move and her muscles stung. What had she done? The bag became impossible to move and her lungs burned. Jess stumbled back and put her hands behind her head to get more air.

As her sight became clear again she realized why the bag had become impossible to move…Elliot Stabler was holding it with his entire body. "You have a hell of a left-hook."

Jess spoke with labored breath. Her gloved hands still behind her head. "Thanks."

"Why are you so angry?" Elliot asked.

The blonde was incapable of holding back. "I broke Olivia and Alexandra up."

"How do you figure?" Elliot raised his brow; not only at the statement but by the use of both women's full names.

Jess had caught her breath and let her hands fall to her sides. "They think I need to be watched 24/7; like I'm a baby, or a puppy or a bomb. They fought all the time about who was going to leave work and babysit me. When they did make plans to be together one of them would have to cancel to get caught up on work they neglected earlier to come home and watch me."

Elliot narrowed his eyes. "Did you tell them to lay off you? That you could take care of yourself?"

"Yes! I told them over and over but they wouldn't listen. Now look at what I have done." The teen pulled off the gloves she was wearing and threw them on the ground.

The detective shook his head. "You didn't do that. You didn't break them up. If they can't see that you can take care of yourself sometimes then that is their fault, Jess, not yours. I told Liv to back off you. I told her you could stay with us sometimes."

Jess raised her brow. "You told her that?"

Elliot nodded. "Yes, I did. I could tell they were smothering you. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that they needed to spend more time together and slightly less with you."

The blonde looked down at the floor and then back into Elliot's blue eyes. "Thanks" He nodded and Jess continued. "Did you talk to Liv today?"

"No. She called me a bunch of times but I didn't call her back."

Jess nodded to him slightly. "She knows you put in for a transfer."

The detective nodded. "I figured. She sounded pissed."

"She's pissed at me, not you. She knows I told you to put in your papers."

Elliot shrugged. "It's the right thing to do. She'll get used to it."

The teen looked hard at Elliot. "No, no it's not and I don't think she will."

"What are you talking about?"

Jess shook her head. "I was devastated when I saw Livie's picture on that monitor. My whole life is wrapped up in her, El. I love her so much. I blamed you for what Markus Pharaoh did and that was wrong. I was wrong. What happened in the park wasn't your fault. I see that now." She took a couple of steps toward Elliot. "I don't want you to transfer out of SVU. I want you and Livie to be partners." Jess threw her arms around the detective. "I trust you. I know you will protect her, El. Please…please don't transfer."

Elliot put his arms around the young woman. He kissed the top of her head. "Okay. I won't leave. Jess, I promise I will keep her safe."

The young woman held him tighter. "Thank you"

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Residence of Detective Olivia Benson **

**Monday August 24****th****, 23:41**

Elliot had driven Jess home to make sure she got there safely. He told her that Olivia had come to the squad looking for him but while she was there had put in for some personal time. The Captain had approved it on the spot.

The young woman entered the apartment, took off her shoes and dropped her ball gear at the door. She padded down the hall and to the doorway of the brunette's bedroom. Jess peered in and saw the detective lying on her side with her back to the door. The teen crept into the room and around the end of the bed. Olivia was sleeping, but it was obvious by the Kleenexes balled up beside her on the bed that she had been crying. Jess's heart broke. She had hurt Olivia.

Jess left Olivia's bedroom and went to the bathroom. She opened the mirrored cabinet above the sink and found a straight razorblade. She grabbed a black facecloth from a pile of freshly laundered towels. The teen walked from the bathroom to her bedroom and closed the door. Jess undressed and put on cotton pants and a tank-top. She sat with her back against the bedroom door. She took the razorblade and ran it up her forearm. As the blade dug in and sliced through her skin it left a thin red line of blood in its wake. Jess stared at her wrist again and dug the blade in. She inhaled at the first bit of pain as it sunk in, but exhaled as she ran the blade the length of her forearm. She hadn't cut herself in over a year and a half. The blonde had wanted to after Brian Nudds had attacked her. Having Olivia around and Elliot distracting her had stopped Jess. She made five perfectly straight cuts along her forearm before she stopped. The teen watched the blood seep out of the wounds and run around her arm. The streams ran together and started to drip onto her pant legs. She knew it was time. Jess put the facecloth over her forearm and pressed down.

The blonde sat in front of the door for awhile. She thought about what Elliot had said to her that day. Jess went over what everyone had said to her recently, include Judge Petrovsky. If she had any hope of making Olivia better she had to get her shit together. The detective didn't deserve a kid that acted the way she had over the last week. She started with her arm. The teen went back to the bathroom and washed the blood off of her forearm. Having cut many times before, she knew how to hide the cuts until they healed and how to keep them from scarring. She would leave them as they were overnight and dress them in the morning. Jess went back to her bedroom, closed the door and tried to sleep.

**Tuesday August 25****th****, 07:57**

Jess woke and showered. She put salve and a large bandage on her forearm before dressing. She padded into Olivia's bedroom. The detective was awake. "I'm going to make breakfast. Do you want some?" she asked quietly.

Olivia shook her head slightly but didn't say anything. Jess left and made breakfast. She made enough for the brunette and herself. Just before she left she brought in a plate for the detective. "Livie, please eat."

She looked down at the plate and then went back to staring blankly into space. Olivia felt as though she had lost everything. Her partner was leaving her. The young woman she considered to be her daughter was completely out of control and she couldn't help her. Then there was Alex. They continued to play their cat and mouse game in court; still had lunch together. But her A.D.A. wasn't here. She wasn't in her arms, wasn't in her bed and wouldn't be ever again. Jess leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. Olivia wasn't sure if she had been talking but then the young woman left her line of sight.

**One Police Plaza**

**Computer Crimes**

**Tuesday August 25****th****, 09:24**

When Jess had exited the subway near One P.P. she had called Ken Randle and asked if he could meet her later. They setup a time and she walked into the building and rode the elevator to the third floor.

Morales was surprised to see Jess when she walked through the doorway and into 'their' office. She grinned at him. "So…where is your laptop?"

He smiled back at her. "You're too late."

Jess furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

"I already fixed it. It wasn't that hard. You didn't burn me beyond recognition," he rolled his eyes.

She smiled at him. "My bark is worse than my bite…this time. If I had wanted to burn you beyond recognition I would have. I just needed you to stop."

Morales gave a half-smile and nodded. "I know."

"Listen, I need to talk to you. Do you have a minute?"

He nodded.

Jess stepped closer to him. "I'm sorry your new GPS device was seized as evidence. Once Liv found out it was on her ring, she turned it over to the squad."

The tech shrugged. "I'm just glad it found Olivia."

The blonde nodded. "I have been thinking a lot about what I do here and how much time I spend here. At the end of the summer I had planned to ask you to help me convince Liv to let me stay here full-time and go to school through correspondence."

Morales pursed his lips. "And now?"

"And now I think that would be a bad idea." Jess sighed. "I love working here, doing what I do. But I became far too involved in the Pharaoh website case." She shook her head. "I don't ever want to be that involved in a case again."

The tech nodded. "You are a great tech., probably the best we have working here right now. I would love for you to stay on, part-time if you are comfortable with that. I would never ask you to be as involved in a case as you were with the last one. If you continue to work here you'll be doing grunt work."

Jess snickered and gave a half smile. "As long as it's your grunt work…I'll take it."

Morales laughed. "When are you going to spring this on Olivia?"

The teen's face tightened. "Not this week. I'll ask her soon though and let you know."

"Are you coming back this week?"

Jess nodded. "As soon as I procure a laptop, as mine was seized as evidence."

"I can get you a laptop."

The blonde shook her head. "Naw, I know a guy. He made me my last one. I'll call you once I have my shit together."

Morales smiled and nodded. "Good, see ya then."

Jess grinned. "For sure."

**Hudson University**

**Tuesday August 25****th****, 12:41**

"I take it this meeting has to do with laptops," Ken gave a half-smile as the blonde walked up and hugged him.

She pushed off Ken, looked up at him with a half-grin. "Okay, okay…I'm sorry your laptop was seized as evidence."

He shook his head. "I knew it would be."

Jess reached into her pocket, pulled out an envelope and handed it to Ken. He took it from her and opened it. His eyes widened. "Jess, what the hell is this?"

"The money I owe you for the laptop you sacrificed."

Ken looked at her. "Take it back."

"No way. You are owed that money, man."

"Screw the money…take it back," he held the envelope out to her.

She put her hands in the pockets of her board shorts.

He shook his head. "I'm going to give it to the next person that walks by."

Jess laughed. "No you're not!"

A guy walked across the lawn they were standing on, heading towards the Computer Sciences building. Ken looked at him and spoke to him when he got close enough. "Hey man, want some money?" He held out the envelope to the guy. Jess grabbed it and narrowed her eyes at Ken as she spoke to the guy. "I'm sorry. My friend seems to have lost his ever-lovin' mind." The guy shook his head and continued across the rest of the grass and into the building.

"What the hell is your problem?"

Ken smiled. "I told you to take the money back. Now you're holding the envelope."

The blonde sighed in defeat. "Fine. Take half the money and build me a new laptop."

"That I will do," Ken held out his hand.

Jess counted out the money and handed it to him. "I need that laptop like yesterday."

Ken shook his head. "It's never easy when you are involved in something."

The teen rolled her eyes. "You're tellin'me."

**Manhattan's SVU Squad Room**

**Tuesday August 25****th****, 14:07**

It was almost a full house when Jess walked into the bullpen, Olivia was missing. She was greeted with the usual fanfare as she settled into the seat behind her desk. The blonde looked at Elliot. "I need your help."

He set the papers he was going through down on his desk. "What's up?"

Jess looked around and then leaned closer to Elliot. He took the hint and leaned closer to her. "Liv won't get out of bed. She won't eat either. I can't get her and Alexandra back together but I can deliver you to her."

Elliot shook his head. "Why would she want to see me?"

The teen rolled her eyes. "Christ old man…you are slow. She still thinks you are transferring out of this squad. She needs to hear it from you that you're not leaving."

"Look, Jess, I'm not really that great at the whole emotional thing."

Jess narrowed her eyes at him. "Well you had better base up in the next 30 minutes cause you are going to talk to her."

"I can't go now…it's the middle of the day."

"El, this is Livie we are talking about. Are you going to make the time or not?"

He gave Jess a sideways look, got up and walked into Cragen's office. There was some discussion and then Elliot walked out of the office and back to his desk. He opened the middle drawer of his desk and fished out the keys to his car. "Let's roll."

Jess smiled at him and he met her eyes. "You are going to help me 'base up' on the way uptown."

The blonde continued to smile but rolled her eyes at him.

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Residence of Detective Olivia Benson**

**Tuesday August 25****th****, 14:52**

When they entered the brunette's bedroom she was still lying on her side. She was curled up tightly. Jess and Elliot looked at her from the bottom of the bed. "She's sleeping," Elliot whispered.

"Wake her," Jess coaxed quietly.

He looked at the blonde and shook his head. She sighed. "Then take this out to the kitchen." Jess moved around to the side of the bed, picked up the plate of uneaten food and handed it to Elliot. He took it and disappeared. She picked up the trash can beside the bedside table and threw all the used tissues into it. Jess set it back down and climbed onto the bed. Elliot returned from the kitchen but stood outside the door and listened. He really had no idea what to say to his partner. Jess kissed Olivia's forehead and stroked her long hair. The detective woke up and looked at the blonde. Her eyes were dull and sad. "Why didn't you eat?"

The detective said nothing. Jess raised her brow. "Look, I know I have been out of control lately." She sighed and looked into the emotionless brown eyes of the brunette. "You were right. I need to reel myself in. I have. I am so sorry for putting you through what I have. You didn't deserve any of it and if I could take it all back I would. I never meant to hurt you."

Olivia wanted to tell Jess it was okay. She wanted to say she forgave her. The detective had the words she just couldn't say them. She couldn't say anything. Olivia looked away from her little girl.

Jess wasn't sure what to do. Olivia hated her, and she had every right to. What had she done? She kissed the brunette's forehead again and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Livie." Jess got off the bed and walked out of the room. She jumped slightly at the sight of Elliot standing right outside the bedroom door. She walked into her bedroom and he followed closing the door behind himself. Jess turned and looked at him. "What the hell, old man? Why are you spying?"

Elliot looked down at her. "I didn't mean to. Look, Jess, I don't know what to say to her."

"You put in your papers because of me right?"

He nodded.

"You didn't want to leave the squad did you?"

"Well, no not really."

"Why?"

"I like what I do. I like my partner…"

"Why do you like her?"

He shrugged. "We're in sync. She knows me, she puts up with me. I like that she knows what I'm thinking…"

Jess held up her palms. "Stop. Go in there and tell her this."

Elliot squinted his eyes but left Jess's bedroom and went to Olivia's. He walked around the bed so that he was in her eye line. His partner was wake but she didn't appear too be aware of his presence. He cleared his throat. "Liv, I was an asshole. I should have called you back yesterday but I didn't know what to say. I felt guilty about what happened in the park with Pharaoh." He ran his right hand over his jaw. "Actually, I still feel guilty about it. I should have followed closer.." Elliot sighed. "Look, I did put in for a transfer out of SVU. I should have been honest with you about it but…I just didn't know what to say. When you put in for a new partner a few years ago I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me. I made a lot of mistakes. It made me realize who and what you are to me."

He and Olivia held their eye contact as he got down on his knees and put his elbows on her bed. "I need you. You ground me…you get my shit together. You call me on my bullshit." He smiled slightly. "I need your optimism. I need to see you roll your eyes at me. I need to see you smile. I need a partner that I can trust and I only trust you."

Elliot held out his hand to his partner. "I took back my transfer papers from Cragen. I'm not leaving. Will you take me back?" he asked sheepishly.

Olivia held out her hand and took Elliot's in hers. She smiled. "I guess I have to take you back. There is no way Fin or Munch will put up with your shit."

He smiled at her. "You're right," his smile faded. "Why are you here, in bed?"

His partner sighed as she let go of his hand. "You were leaving me, Alex's has already left me and Jess…"

"And Jess what?"

She shook her head. "And Jess is 16 years old, with the life experiences of a 35 year old, has a mind that bounces between those ages and idles at 12 on a slow day. I love her, El. I'm going to adopt her but I'm not sure I can handle this."

Elliot smiled. "I have helped raise three teenage daughters. Believe me…no one can handle them. I'll admit Jess is different though. She got too close to the case this time. She wanted it and we let her have it. We know better now."

The brunette shook her head. "I should have known better from the beginning. I'm supposed to protect her and instead she saved me."

He squinted his eyes at her. "Liv, we all make mistakes. Look at my kids for Gods sakes. I'm not about to win any greatest dad awards. Parenthood is messy, it's dirty, ugly, never-ending, heart-wrenching, and nerve-breaking but it's the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me. For all the late nights Kathy and I have had to wait up, all the tears, all the screaming and arguing I still wouldn't trade being a father for anything in the world."

Olivia grinned slightly. "I never thought I could love someone as much as I love Jess. My happiness is wrapped up in her, El."

"Hers is wrapped up in you, Liv. She would do anything for you. You saw what that little girl did for you last week."

The detective nodded. "Yes, I did."

Elliot cocked his head slightly to the right. "You have to admit she's a survivor. I know you think you need to be with her all the time…or at the very least someone has to be. I'm telling you, that's not true. Jess needs her own space. She proved last week that she can take care of herself. You have to cut the apron strings, Liv."

Olivia laughed for the first time in over a day. "Apron stings! Elliot, get the hell outta my bedroom with your lame crap."

He pushed off the bed, stood up and rolled his eyes at her. "Well, don't ever pull this 'woe is me' shit again and then maybe I won't have to come all the way up here, taking time off work, to get your lame ass outta bed."

She sat up in bed; a smile had hijacked her face. "Oh, Jesus Christ! I pull your act together everyday. I need you one time, Elliot…one time… and you act as if you're moving mountains."

The detective had a grin on his face as he spoke. "I come up here, just trying to help you out and all I get is attitude."

Jess stood in the doorway of the bedroom. "You get attitude because you come in here peddling that after-school-special garbage. Your shit is weak, old man…weak!"

Elliot laughed and flipped Jess the bird. She laughed out loud and looked at Olivia. The trademark crooked smile was back and so was the detective.

"You coming to work tomorrow or what?" Elliot asked, looking at his partner.

She rolled her eyes and nodded. "I'll be there."

**18:37 **

Olivia and Jess sat at the kitchen table and ate dinner. They had made it together and the music that had driven the women while they cooked was now turned down so they could talk in normal voices to each other. The younger woman looked at the older one. "I really am sorry for meddling in your life. I shouldn't have told Elliot to transfer."

The detective smiled across the table. "I forgive you. I know how difficult it must have been for you to think I was gone." She shook her head. "I know how I felt when I wondered if I would ever see you again. God…Jessie, I though about you so much before you found me."

"I thought about you, too. Before I knew what really happened to you, all I could think about was how much I missed you, how much I loved you."

Olivia wanted to bring up Alex. Jess had to forgive her, too. The detective decided it was too soon and went another direction. "Are you going to work tomorrow?"

The blonde shrugged as she swallowed the food in her mouth. "Depends."

"On?" Olivia put a mouthful of food on her fork and ate it.

Jess picked up her glass and took a drink. "On when Ken finishes my new laptop."

The brunette smiled. "So…you have the whole day free tomorrow?"

"It would appear that way, yes…" Jess raised her right eyebrow wondering where this was going.

Olivia smiled. "Great, go to Mount Pleasant Prep and meet the Headmaster. He left a message saying that there were some forms you have to fill out for classes in September."

The teen's jaw dropped slightly. "Can we talk about this for a minute?"

"What is there to talk about? We had a deal that you would work the summer with Morales and then go to school in September."

Jess regained her composure. "Yeah I know, and I will go to school in September, that was the deal. I was thinking maybe we could make another deal."

The detective was skeptical. "Well...out with it, kid. I can hear the hamster in your head running double time on its wheel."

Sitting straighter in her chair Jess started. "Okay, for the last two years I've gone to school in the morning and worked at the diner starting at noon. If I can finagle a schedule, in the new school, where I only have morning classes can I still work for Morales from one until five?"

Olivia wasn't sure she liked the sound of this. "I need you to hear me out on this…"

"But Livie, it would be the same as if…"

The brunette held up her hands, palms out. "and not interrupt me."

"Okay, I'm sorry. Please, go on," Jess said in an apologetic tone.

"You are 16 years old. Over the past few years you have been forced to act much older than you really are. I want more for you. You deserve more. Jess, I want you to have a normal life. Wake up, go to school, come home, do your homework, eat dinner, watch TV, talk on the phone, IM your friends, dye more streaks in your hair…whatever. I want there to be some normality in your life. Having me as your adopted parent is going to be chaotic enough, I want your life to remain as normal as possible."

Jess gave a half-smile and looked around the kitchen. "I'm sorry; do we live in a house in Glen Oaks, Queens? Is there some white picket fence I am unaware of around here?" She said in a sarcastic tone. She shook her head. "I'm not _that_ kid. I'm not the kind of kid that can do those things. I can't just go to school and come home, do homework and chill. I've never done that." She sighed. "How can you ask me to just become someone I'm not? Oh and P.S. why do I have to go to Mount Pleasant Prep? Why can't I just go down the street to H.S. 26?"

She had a point Olivia thought to herself. "Alright…maybe you aren't 'that' kid, but do you want to be? There is nothing wrong with it. Maybe you should try it? You are going to Mount Pleasant because that is what we decided."

The blonde shook her head. "I don't want to try it. I want to be me. No matter what I have done to you or what I have said, you have never asked me to be someone I'm not. Please…please don't ask me to now. Chaos _is_ my normalcy. I like being in the middle of things. Why do you think I like the squad room so much?"

Olivia smiled. "Cause you're nuts."

The right corner of Jess's mouth tugged up in the start of a smile. "That and…I like being in the middle of you guys. It makes me feel like I'm apart of something bigger than just me." Jess shook her head. "It won't be like this last case, Livie. I talked to Morales and told him I never wanted to be as involved in another case the way I was with this one. He agreed. I swear it will only be grunt work for me from now on. Oh and _we_ didn't decide anything. Mount Pleasant was Alexandra's idea, not _ours_."

"If you can sweet-talk the Headmaster into this morning class schedule, and if you can maintain your grade-point average, you can work for Morales in the afternoons. But you will only be working for Morales…do you hear me?" Olivia shot the young woman a stern look.

A full on grin appear on Jess's face. "Totally!" She jumped out of her chair and hugged Olivia. "Thanks, Livie!"

"Yeah, yeah…remember this when I ask you to do something you don't want to." She said with a smile on her face. She pushed the younger woman off of her so they could look each other in the eyes. "Mount Pleasant Prep is a great school, and was a decision that you, myself and Alex all agreed on." Olivia furrowed her brow. "Don't act as if you weren't part of the decision and that you aren't happy to be going there."

"Regular kids don't go there." Jess said with her right eyebrow cocked.

"Yes they do." Olivia said, wide eyed. Two weeks ago when her acceptance to the Prep school came in the mail Jess was overjoyed, and she and Alex were so proud their little girl had done so well on the entrance exam and interview.

"Did _you_ go to a private school for high school?"

"No, but that doesn't mean anything. My mother couldn't afford to send me."

"Alexandra is paying my tuition isn't she?" The blonde asked looking away.

"Some of it, yes." Olivia said nodding. "I know you don't like her very much right now, you are entitled to that, but you do love her. She loves you, too."

"I love you." Jess said, looking at the detective. "Oh and you are going to be my adopted mother."

The brunette looked at Jess, confused. "Excuse me?"

"You referred to yourself a minute ago as my adopted parent. You will be my adopted mother, Livie. Get use to the term," Jess continued to smile.

Olivia looked up at her. "Jess, I know you have a mother. I don't want to take away from her."

The teen's smile and facial expression changed, it was warmer. "You're not. I miss my mother everyday. It took a long time but I have finally stopped hoping she will come back. I know she won't, no matter what I do or say." Jess held Olivia's hand in hers. "She would want me to be happy, and I am when I'm with you. She would want someone who loves me to raise me, and I know you love me. I'm not forgetting her or replacing her in someway with you. Please don't think that." She sighed. "For the first time in a long time I feel like I'm part of a family…like I belong with you. And between the Stabler's and the guys in the squad room for the first time in my life I feel like a have a very large extended family. I just…I want it to be official, you know?"

The detective smiled. "Yes…I know."

The next day Olivia went to work. Jess went to Mount Pleasant Preparatory Academy, spoke to the Headmaster, filled out the forms and got her morning class schedule. Ken called her and she went and picked up her new laptop. She went right home to play with it. As she walked up to the building the doorman smiled at her. "There is a package inside for you, Jess."

She smiled back. "Thanks, Frank." He opened the door for her and she walked through and over to the security desk.

"Hey, Jess. A large package came for you this morning. Here." the guard dragged it out from behind the desk. "Were you expecting this?"

Jess looked at the return address on the shipping receipt. The package had been priority shipped, overnight. Although she hadn't been expecting a package she recognize the address. The teen lied. "Yeah, thanks for keeping it all day, Carlos."

"No problem. You want some help getting it upstairs?"

The blonde shook her head. "Naw…I got it. Thanks though."

She dragged the box across the lobby and into the elevator. Once she was on her floor Jess dragged the box down the hall to her door, then through the apartment and into her bedroom once she was inside. The blonde set her laptop down on the floor. She grabbed scissors from her desk, opened them and used them like a box cutter to break the seal on the box. The teen tossed the scissors on her bed and sat on the edge of it.

Jess opened the box and peered inside. She wasn't sure why, but looking at the contents of the box made her sad. They shouldn't have. Alex had packed up her room at the condo and sent it over to Olivia's apartment. It saved Jess having to go and do it herself, or sending the detective to do it for her. She picked up three of the picture frames sitting on top of everything else, unwrapped and looked at them. Staring back at her were faces of happy people from another time in her life. The third picture was of just her and Alex. It was black and white and both women were sleeping in a hammock together. Jess was lying beside the taller blonde, with her head on Alex's chest. Olivia had taken the picture in June, when she and Alex had rented a cottage upstate for four days. She closed her eyes and started to cry. She missed Alex and she hated herself for feeling that way.

When Olivia walked into her apartment she was surprised to find Jess in her room, sitting in front of a large box. The teen had not taken off her shoes at the door, which normally indicated whether or not she was home. She knocked on the doorway of the blonde's bedroom and walked in. "What's with the box?"

Jess wiped away tears from her cheeks. "Uh…Alexandra sent over my things from her place."

The detective was a little surprised. Alex hadn't called to say she was going to be sending Jess's stuff. "Have you been crying?"

"Yes" the blonde wouldn't look up at Olivia.

"Why?" She asked, already knowing the truth. She wanted Jess to say it though.

The teen shrugged.

Olivia walked over and stood beside the blonde. She saw the only picture she was still holding. It was of Jess and Alex. The detective knew, in time, the young woman would forgive Alex for lying to her. Jess had to do it on her own time though. "Did you feel safe with Ally?"

"Stop it," Jess whispered not wanting to remember how safe and calm she had felt in the picture, wrapped the arms of the taller woman.

The detective stroked the blonde curls on Jess's head. "It's okay to miss her, Jessie." The teen said nothing. Olivia continued. "I do."

Jess rested her head on the brunette's side.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve: Honour**

**Residence of Detective Elliot Stabler**

**Glen Oaks, Queens**

**Wednesday August 26****th****, 21:41**

Elliot knocked on Dick's bedroom door. "Come in," came from inside the room. The detective opened the door and walked in. His son was sitting at his desk, in front of his computer. He turned and faced his father. "Hey Dad"

"Hey Dickie"

The younger man sighed. "Dad, I start NYU in less than a week…its Richard now, okay?"

"Okay," Elliot nodded and smiled slightly. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Yeah"

The detective moved into the room and sat on the edge of the bed closest to his son. "Are you ever going to tell me or your mother where you were for two days?"

Richard's face was emotionless. "I told you, I was with friends. I know I live in your house and I have to live by your rules. So punish me and we can all move on."

"Why do you think you haven't been punished yet?"

He shrugged.

"Dick…sorry, Richard, we want to know the truth. You were with Jess in that warehouse weren't you?"

His face remained the same as he spoke. "I told you as much as I am going to about where I was. I knew it was wrong but I had to be away. Just punish me and be done with it."

Elliot held his hands up, palms out. "Okay, I need to talk to you man to man." He sighed. "Pretend I'm not your dad; pretend I'm not a cop. I'm just some guy and we're just talking."

"Have you lost your mind?" Richard asked, squinting his eyes at his father.

He shook his head. "No. Come on, just try it."

Richard shrugged. "Fine, ask me whatever you are going to ask me."

"How do you feel about Jess?"

"Are you kidding me? Dad, what the hell is this?"

Elliot sighed. "I'm not your Dad, I'm just some guy. You must talk to your friends about your girlfriend…so talk to me."

"Oh, so, now we're friends?" Richard said sarcastically with a raised brow. "What if you don't like my answers? Are you still going to be my friend or will you be my father or a cop?"

"Right here, right now…whatever is said between us stays between us. It's your one 'get out of jail free' card. No punishment, no lectures…just two friends talking."

Richard rolled his eyes. "I like Jess."

"Do you love her?"

"Dad…"

Elliot held up his hands. "Not your Dad."

"Okay, yeah I love her."

"How do you know its love?"

Richard squinted his eyes and shook his head slightly. "Who the fuck are you, Oprah?"

The detective chuckled. "Come on, man. How do you know you love her?"

"Most girls make you jump through hoops just to hang out with them. You call them, text them, email them, smile at them and they still act like you should be honoured to be in their presence. Jess is different. She doesn't come with that kind of bullshit. She tells me what she wants. There are no hoops, at least not like most girls." He shrugged and looked at the man sitting before him. "I look at her and I can't figure out why she wants to be with me. She is incredible and I bring very little to the table." He said smirking. "I'm just happy to be near her. One day she'll see how much better she can do and dump my ass."

Elliot chuckled. "I thought the same thing about your…my wife. It came to a point where she did see the light and knew she could do better. I had to base up, change, become a better man and she helped me. A good woman will make you feel like a king, kid."

He had never heard his Dad talk like that before. "How did you keep mo…your wife?"

"It was a lot of things. I had to quit hurting her, disappointing her. I needed to be here, in her life more. In my kid's lives more. I never meant to be away so much. I tell her I love her. I know she wants to hear it, but I really do. I can't imagine life without her."

Richard nodded. "I tell Jess I love her all the time. I just pray she won't leave me."

"I don't think she'll leave you, man. That girl loves you. You would do anything for her wouldn't you?"

He nodded.

Elliot pursed his lips. "You would protect her wouldn't you? If she was in danger."

Richard's face became softer. He knew what his father was asking him. He wasn't sure why but he nodded, confirming that he had been with Jess the two days he was missing.

"I'm proud of you, Richard." Elliot held out his hand and his son shook it. "Take care of your girl. She's very brave, acts tough but she is still very young."

The young man nodded in response. "I will never let anything bad happen to her again."

They let go of each others hands and Elliot stood up and walked to the doorway of his son's room. He turned back and looked at Richard. He smiled. "One more thing"

"Yeah"

"Wear a condom."

"Is that a friend talking?"

Elliot smiled and cocked his head to the right. "No, this is your father talking. I could stand here and tell you not to have sex, but it might be too late. Is it too late?"

A disgusted look flashed across Richard's face. "Dad!"

He held out his hands. "Okay, okay…just wear a condom." Elliot turned and left his son's room. Maybe he wouldn't win any father of the year awards, maybe his kids disliked him sometimes, and maybe he embarrassed them. He didn't care. His son had ditched work and curfew for two days to keep the girl he loved safe. Somewhere, at some point, he and Kathy had instilled honour in their son. That was what fatherhood should be about.

**One Hogan Place**

**Office of A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot**

**Thursday August 27****th****, 19:11**

Alex's case against Ronald Blaze was going well. She had signed arrest warrants for Markus Stanley, Markus Pharaoh's real name. Once the police had his fingerprints it had been easy to identify him, he had a previous record. His bail hearing had gone as she had planned, he was held without bail. The A.D.A. still had a long road ahead of her when it came to the case though. Two of the victims were still too distraught to even be fully interviewed by the detectives. Chances were they would not be able to testify in court. Alex was going through paperwork when there was a light knock on the door to her office. She was slightly annoyed, she figured most of her co-workers were gone and the ones that were still around knew her better. "Come in," she said without looking up.

The door opened and closed. Alex could feel someone's presence in the room but they had not spoken, annoying her further. She looked up finally and her expression changed instantly. "Hi," she said quietly.

"Hi," was said back in an equally quiet tone.

The blonde put down her pen and pushed her glasses up on her nose as she sat straighter in her chair. "How are you?"

The person shrugged. "Fine."

Alex wanted to say so much but she didn't want to fight. "Do you want to sit down?" She motioned to the two chairs directly in front of her desk.

"Actually, can I just sit on your couch and play with my laptop? You can keep working."

The A.D.A. nodded and motioned to the couch beside the door. The guest took off her DC shoes, sat cross-legged on the couch, pulled out her laptop from the bag and started to work. Alex watched her for a long time, forgetting they were in her office. Maybe one day Jess would forgive her, but at this point the taller blonde would take what she could get. Having the shorter blonde sitting in her office brought tears to her eyes, but it made her smile. She eventually picked up her pen and went back to the paperwork on her desk.

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Residence of Detective Olivia Benson**

**Saturday August 29****th****, 07:10**

"What are you doing while I'm at work today?" Olivia asked as she shoveled in a fork full of eggs, she and Elliot were on-call that weekend.

"I have a lunch date and then I'm going out with Stabler." Jess looked up from the paper.

Olivia narrowed her eyes, "Who is the lunch date with?"

The blonde looked back down at the paper. "No one"

She knew Jess was seeing Alex for lunch. The A.D.A. had called her the second their daughter and her had parted ways outside One Hogan Place two days earlier. Jess hadn't told Olivia she had gone to see Alex that day, or the day following. The kid always seemed to know when the A.D.A. was alone in her office. Lunch today would be the first time they would see each other outside of the office. Olivia smiled. "Liar" she coaxed.

Jess looked up and raised her right eyebrow. "Quid pro quo?"

The detective was still smiling as she cocked her head to the right, indicated she would play the game. Jess sucked in some air. "Fine, the jig is up…I'm meeting Alex for lunch today."

Olivia wanted to scream with joy. She wanted to jump up and hug Jess, but she stopped herself. Jess and Alex would be fine; it would just take some time. The detective reeled herself in, "Good, I'm glad."

It was Jess's turn. "Is Alex still coming with us next weekend?"

The brunette was blanking. _Where the hell were they going next weekend_? She couldn't think fast enough and had to admit she didn't know what Jess was talking about. "Where are we going next weekend?"

"Wow...really?" Jess said sarcastically, with her brow raised. "We rented a cabin on the lake beside the one the Stabler's rented…ringing a bell yet?"

_Mental head slap_. The detective had totally forgotten about the cabins. The reservation for their cabin was in Alex's name and neither she nor Elliot had mentioned the weekend away since June when the plans had initially been made. _Fuck_! "Ummmm…Jessie, I don't know if Alex's is coming. I totally forgot about next weekend, and our reservation was in her name…"

"Are you telling me we're not going?" Jess asked, her voice riddled with disappointment.

"I'm telling you I'm not sure what's happening. Is Elliot…the Stabler's still going?"

A slight panic had crept into the younger woman's voice; she and the other 'kids' had been planning things for next weekend for two months. "Yes they are still going! Livie, we've made plans…I've made plans with Stabler and his sisters."

Olivia couldn't believe this. Not only had she forgotten about the weekend away but it appeared as though it was unbelievably important to Jess. "Okay, hold on. Let me talk to Alex and Elliot. We will work something out. Her cell rang and "Pretty Fly for a White Guy" emanated from the phone. It was the ringtone Jess had set up for Elliot. Olivia answered the phone. "Benson" she paused. "Yeah…okay…where?" Her eyes met the blonde's as she listened to her partner on the other end of the phone. "Okay, I'll be right there." The detective snapped her phone shut. She didn't know what to say…and Jess knew it.

The teen sighed. "Go"

"I swear I will talk to them. I'll make this right, Jess." She got up from the table and ran to her room and dressed. She rolled back into the kitchen before she left. Jess handed her a bag with food in it. "Eat everything that is in the bag. Don't let El steal any of the good stuff."

Olivia kissed Jess on the forehead. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

The detective disappeared out the door. Jess cleaned up, showered dressed and headed out for the day.

**7****th**** Ave and West 27****th**** Street**

'**Tony's Diner'**

**Saturday August 29****th****, 12:15**

The breakfast rush had been in full swing when Jess had arrived almost four hours earlier. Tony was relieved to see the blonde roll into the kitchen and tie an apron around her waist. They cooked together as if no time had past. It felt good to Jess to be there, cooking and laughing with Tony, and some of the regulars. Alex had arrived for lunch and Jess had abandoned the kitchen for the last booth by the window. She sat down and smiled. "Order will be up soon."

Alex smiled back. "You ordered me the usual?"

She nodded back, still smiling. "Can I ask you something?"

The A.D.A. was slightly taken back. The first evening Jess had come to see her she had been very quiet. The second evening she spoke more, smiled, even hugged Alex and held her hand as they walked to the elevator as they left the building together. This was their third encounter and the kid acted as if nothing had ever happened between them. Alex wasn't sure what to think. "Sure…" she said, slightly guarded.

"Chillax, Ally, I just wanted to know if you wanted to have dinner on Sunday night?"

Alex smiled. It was the first time Jess had called her Ally in over a week. "Yeah, sure."

"Niiice"

"Can I ask you something?"

Jess shrugged, still grinning. "Sure"

"What is going on here?"

The grin on Jess's face faded. She looked away from Alex and out the window beside them. "Do we have to talk about this?" She looked back at the blonde. "Can't we just pretend nothing ever happened? Go back to the way things were?"

Alex shook her head. "No. Jessie, it'll never be the way it was. Whether it's better or worse is up to us…but it will be different."

She looked out the window again. "'Member when we went to that cabin upstate?" Jess looked back into the sky blue eyes. "I fell asleep in the hammock with you?"

"Yes, I do." Alex's face softened at the memory.

Jess looked longingly across the table. "I remember not wanting to be anywhere else but in that hammock, with you. I didn't want to be with Livie, I just wanted to be with you. It was really the first time I remember feeling that. A pull to you…to anyone other than Liv." The teen shook her head. "That never went away, that feeling. I was so angry with you for lying to me, for pretending to be Liv in the text…but I missed you."

"I am so sorry I did that to you. I never meant to hurt you…"

The shorter blonde put her hands up. "Ally…I know. I know you didn't mean to. I know you did what you did to protect me." She looked down at the table for a minute and then back into the blonde's blue eyes. "It just hurt so much to know that I trusted you…that I got so close to you and weren't honest with me." She sighed. "I miss you, Ally, I'm not completely over what happened but I do want to be with you…I need to be with you."

Alex's eyes had turned a dark blue as tears formed. "I need you too, Jessie."

**186 Prince Street**

'**The Big Ragu'**

**Sunday August 30****th****, 18:25**

Richard and Jess stood across the street from one of the young woman's favorite Italian restaurants in the city. She had made a reservation on Saturday after both Olivia and Alex had agreed to meet her for dinner. Neither knew the other woman was coming. They also didn't know that Jess would not be attending the dinner. She had gone in ten minutes earlier and given a note to the hostess to give to Alex and Olivia once both were seated at the same table.

"You think you're funny don't you?" Richard said as he looked slyly at his girlfriend.

Jess gave a half-smile as she looked at him and shrugged. "Kindda"

"Think you'll be punished?"

She shrugged again as she answered. "Maybe. Totally worth it though if my plan works."

Richard shook his head. "Why is it always some half-cocked scheme with you?"

"I don't know." She smiled. "I like them." She looked across the street and saw Alex walk into the restaurant.

"Why can't you just let them come back to each other on their own?"

Jess looked at her boyfriend. "I broke them up in the first place. At the very least, I owe them a dinner together. Beyond that I am going to try not to meddle with them."

Richard snickered. "I'll believe that when I see it, O'Malley."

She rolled her eyes at him and looked across the street. Olivia went into the restaurant. "Showtime."

"How long are we going to wait out here?"

Jess gave him a sideways glance. "Until I know for sure they are staying."

The hostess sat Olivia at the table for the O'Malley reservation and handed the blonde already sitting at the table a note. "This is from Ms. O'Malley."

Alex took the note and smiled at Olivia. "I did not see this coming."

The detective smiled and raised her right eyebrow. "And usually I can smell a set-up at 20 paces."

The A.D.A. opened the note and read it out loud. "I had to do it this way and you both know why. Part of the reason the two of you broke up was because you were obsessed with making sure one of you was with me at all times. I think I have proven that I can pretty much take care of myself. I want you both in my life, but I don't need you hovering over me. Stop worrying about me and take care of yourselves. Please stay and have dinner." Alex looked across the table. "It's signed 'your daughter.'"

Olivia looked into the sky-blue eyes behind the thin black frames. "Do you have work to do?"

"Yes…but I would rather have dinner with you."

The detective smiled. "Dinner it is."

Jess and Richard waited for 20 minutes and neither woman came out of the restaurant. He looked at his girlfriend. "I think it's safe to say they stayed for dinner. Now…can we get on with our date…please?"

She grinned at him. "Yesss." The blonde stood on the tips of her toes and leaned into Richard as she kissed him. After the kiss she looked up at him. "Where are we going?"

He smiled at her. "Dinner and then out to a club."

"A club? Stabler, neither one of us is even close to being 21."

Richard raised his right eyebrow as he looked at his girlfriend. She was wearing a black skirt that stopped above her knees, a skin-tight dark purple long-sleeved blouse and three-inch heels. "I know, I have a plan. You're not the only one who can scheme."

"I can't even wait." She said smiling at him.

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Residence of Detective Olivia Benson**

**Monday August 31****st****, 09:45**

Olivia got out of bed and padded barefoot out to the door of her apartment to get the paper. On the way by the living room she found something odd on the couch…Richard Stabler. The detective turned on her left heel and walked back down the hall and opened Jess's bedroom door. She walked in and nudged the sleeping teen. "Jess, wake up," she whispered.

"What? What's wrong?" Jess opened her eyes and saw Olivia's face. She was freaked out. "Livie, I'm sorry about last night. I know I tricked you and Ally, but it was the only way…"

The brunette shook her head. "We will talk about that stunt later today. What is Dick Stabler doing on my couch?"

Jess sat up slightly, woke up her phone and looked at the time. 9:46AM. "He's probably sleeping."

The detective shook her head. "Now is not a good time to be a smartass. I know he's sleeping. What is he doing here?"

"I texted you and told you we were going to be out late. By the time he walked me back here it was really late. I didn't want him to take the subway back to Queens at that hour so I told him to come up. BTW…he wants to be called Richard now…not Dick."

Olivia's eyes widened. "Did you have sex with him in this room last night?"

The blonde sat up straight in bed and narrowed her eyes at Olivia. "No, I did not have sex with him in _this_ room last night. Not that it is any of your business."

"Are you kidding me?" The detective leveled a surprised look at Jess. "It is _my_ business what you do. Did you have sex with him at all last night?"

Jess threw the covers off herself and got out of bed, on the opposite side from Olivia. "Did you and Ally have sex last night?"

"My personal life is not up for discussion, Jess. I am your guardian. Your personal life is what we are talking about now. I have a right to know what you are doing. Where were you last night?"

The blonde narrowed her eyes. "Stabler took me out for dinner, I had pasta he had chicken. We went out dancing and he walked me home. We had sex in the living room. We didn't do it in here because your room and mine share a wall and I have heard you and Ally before. I didn't want to wake you."

Olivia was speechless. It was a lot to take in all at once. "You can't come home at 2:30 in the morning again. And you can't have sex in the living room."

"Would you rather I have it in here?" Jess asked sarcastically.

"Lose the attitude. You can't have sex at all."

The young woman lost it. "What!? Are you kidding me?! You can't tell me what I can and can not do!"

"Oh, yes I can! You are 16 years old. That's not old enough to have sex."

Jess shook her head as she argued. "I've been having sex since I was 14! Stabler wasn't my first, you know that. I love him, he's a good guy. He takes care of me, he protects me. He listens to and respects me. I want to have sex with him. He is my boyfriend. Why are you being so unreasonable?"

"I'm not being unreasonable. I'm being responsible. No parent in their right mind advocates their kid having sex."

The blonde threw her arms out in front of herself. "That's why no kid tells their parents they are having sex! I told you because I didn't want to lie to you. I want to have an honest relationship with you, but I can't do that if you are going to punish me for living my life."

Olivia thought about this. Jess had been living on her own before the two had met. The detective could see how difficult it would be for her to start explaining herself and living by a new set of rules. Olivia sighed. "Okay look…maybe you're right. I want to have an honest relationship with you, too." The brunette sat on the bed. "This whole parenting thing is really hard for me. It's especially hard because sometimes you act much older than you are and have been for so long that you don't need me. Other times you act your age and you do need me."

"How do you think I feel?" Jess sat down on the bed and sighed. "Sometimes I feel fine. I even forget about what Brian Nudds did to me. Other times it's all I can think about it. Or I relive the attack or I'm scared that everyone around me is judging me."

The detective cocked her head to the right as she spoke softly. "Jessie, no one is judging you."

"I know that. I mean when I think about it rationally I know." She shook her head. "But then sometimes…"

"You're not thinking rationally."

Jess nodded. "Stabler helps me with that. Not the way that you or even Ally does. It's different. He accepts me despite everything that has happened to me. I don't know why but he wants to be with me. I'm comfortable with him. He never pressured me to have sex…not once. He never does anything I don't want him to do." The blonde looked down at her bed and then back at Olivia. "I know I'm only 16. I know Stabler is almost 18. You have to admit that we are both capable of being adults about sex…amongst other things."

"I want to go on record as saying I am not happy about you having sex. It isn't that I don't think Richard is the right guy for you…I just don't think you are ready." The detective looked down and then back into the hazel eyes of the young woman. "I am the first to admit I don't know much about parenting. I've never done it before. I want an honest relationship with you. I trust you and if you say you are ready to have sex then I have to trust that."

The blonde crawled across the bed and hugged the detective. "Thank you."

Olivia smiled. "You're welcome. Just…maybe I don't need all the details of your sex life."

"Probably for the best," Jess said as she let go and smiled at the brunette. "So did you?"

"Did I what?"

Jess rolled her eyes. "Did you have sex with Ally?"

The detective shook her head with a half-smile. "None of your business, Jess."

"Good set-up though, huh?"

"Honestly," Olivia sighed, "Yes."

The teen gave a shit-eating smile. "Will you be seeing her again?"

Olivia shot Jess her crooked smile. "Again…none of your business. Although I will tell you this: Alex and I had a lot of time to talk and we decided that we aren't going to tell _you_ anything about us right now."

The blonde's jaw dropped in an over-dramatic fake look of shock. "Why? What did I do?"

"Enough…you have done enough. No more meddling. If Alex and I get back together then we do, if we don't, then we don't. Are you going to be able to live with that?"

Jess smiled sweetly and nodded. "Yeah."

"Good. Now, on to other business. School starts tomorrow. Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"You are going to stay at the Stabler's on Wednesday night, is that okay?"

The corners of Jess mouth edged up in the beginning of a smile but she didn't ask why she was being shipped out of her home for the night. She has her sources…she'll get that intell from One Hogan Place. "That's fine. Are we going to the cabin on the lake on Friday with the Stabler's?"

"I'm working on that, I haven't forgotten. I will let you know." The blonde nodded and Olivia continued. "Now…wake Richard up and I'm going to take a shower."

A full on grin appeared on Jess's face. "Breakfast will be ready when you get out."

The detective nodded as she got up. "Thanks."

**Tuesday September 1****st****, 18:47**

Jess unwound herself from her boyfriend's arms, put on an oversized Jets' t-shirt and padded out to the front hall. It was the first time in a week she had been naked in front of anyone. When she and Richard had sex the other night Jess had kept her long-sleeved blouse on. He had un-buttoned it, but she had kept it on. The cuts on her forearm had healed nicely. Upon her return she had her laptop in one hand and Olivia's iPod in the other. She sat at the head of the bed. Richard looked up at her. "What are you doing?"

"Building a playlist for Livie," she answered as she waited for the laptop to warm up.

He leveraged himself on an elbow. "What's the playlist for?"

The blonde gave him a sideways look. "You really wanna know?"

Richard rolled his eyes. "Really? I mean REALLY…what are you up to now?"

She plugged one end of the iPod cord into the laptop and the other into the iPod. "Wow…easy there, quick-draw. It's just a playlist of music for her and Ally to dance to."

"And why would they need that? Are they back together?"

Jess shrugged. "Not sure. Livie said they are not going to tell me anything about their relationship anymore. Apparently they don't want me meddling in it."

Richard laughed out loud. In fact, he rolled over slightly in hysterics before looking back up at his girlfriend. "What a burn!"

She pushed him with her right hand. "Fuck off! I don't need them to keep me in the loop…I have my sources."

With a smile on his face, still chuckling, Richard looked at Jess. "What sources do you have?"

"I'm sorry, that's classified. I do know that Alex is coming over here for dinner and then she and Livie are going to 904 on Wednesday night," she said as she loaded iTunes and typed the title of the playlist.

He shook his head. "You only _think_ that cause you are sleeping over at my house that night."

Jess shot him a half-smile. "We'll see."

"Wait a minute…if they are going out to 904 why are you making them a playlist to dance to?"

The smile remained on the young woman's face. "Soooo….maybe it isn't just for them to dance to…"

Richard's face morphed into disgust. "Oh my God…you're making them a fuck soundtrack aren't you?!"

The blonde laughed out loud. "Sort of…look." Jess turned the laptop so her boyfriend could see.

"The Strip Side…you're making a playlist of songs that your legal guardian and her quasi girlfriend can strip to?"

Jess turned to him. "Stabler, you are just going to have to roll with this. Livie and Ally having sex or stripping doesn't weird me out." She shrugged. "When they don't do these things it weird's me out. I just want them to be together."

He nodded. "I know you do. Make your Strip Side…I'm rolling with it."

She smiled and went back to the playlist.

**Wednesday September 2****nd****, 17:21**

Olivia burst through the door of her apartment, ran down the hall and into the bathroom, leaving a trail of clothing behind her. She shaved and showered, then left the bathroom for her own room to find an outfit. She and Alex hadn't been out on a date in months. Olivia's stomach flipped. That's when she realized…she was nervous. She left her bedroom for the kitchen. She opened the fridge in search of beer when she saw the bottle of white wine lying on its side. The detective hadn't put it in there. She closed the fridge and looked around the kitchen. There was a note on the table. Olivia picked it up and read it. "The wine, pork in the slow cooker and the new playlist on your iPod are for you and Ally. Make pulled-pork sandwiches and salad for dinner. Everything is in the fridge or on the counter…have fun…" The brunette smiled and grabbed her iPod off the table just inside the front door. She brought it to her room, put it in the dock, found the new playlist, hit play and went through her closet.

After six songs not only did Olivia hate all of her clothing she didn't want to wear anything anyway…the songs on the playlist were very hot. She finally decided on a silky little black dress that did up like a halter top around her neck. It was the only way she could get away with not wearing a bra. The dress confined her chest…mostly. She went to the kitchen and prepared the rest of dinner.

Alex buzzed up to the apartment at 7:00 sharp and the detective let her in. When she got there she was greeted with a glass of wine. "Why'd you buzz?"

The blonde shrugged as she took the glass. "I ummm…I wasn't sure I should use my key."

Olivia took in the unbelievably gorgeous woman standing before her. "You look stunning." She turned away and led the blonde into the kitchen. She turned back slightly and spoke over her shoulder. "Oh…and you should always use your key." The detective didn't want to pressure Alex back into a relationship on their first date…but she did want the A.D.A. to know she was always welcome in her apartment.

Dinner was delicious and Olivia admitted that Jess had prepped the whole thing. She also told Alex about the playlist. The blonde smiled. "Why didn't we listen to 'The Strip Side' during dinner?"

The detective raised her right eyebrow. "If we had…I would have eaten you for dinner."

Alex grinned slyly. "Well…dinner is over…we could listen to it now."

"No way! We are going to 904, Counselor. You ready?" Olivia shot her a devious grin.

"Detective…I have been waiting for a very long time to dance with you."

The pair got up, got ready and left for 904. Once inside, although the club was packed it was as if Olivia and Alex were the only two women there. They danced and grinded to the Latin beats the DJ was playing. The brunette stood behind Alex as they danced. She snaking her right hand down the front of the sapphire coloured dress; down the perfectly flat stomach and thin upper thigh. Olivia ran her hand under the hem of the dress and up the blonde's inner thigh. She rested her hand there and tickled the tender skin with her fingers. Alex's breath caught in her throat as the sensation of her detective touching her washed over her. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, so it rested on Olivia's shoulder. They did this to each other well into the night. The women came up for air a couple of times to get drinks at the bar, where they caught up with Becca; the owner of 904.

In the cab on the way home from the club, Olivia and Alex touched each other and giggled but managed to contain themselves until the detective closed the door to her apartment. The blonde pushed her up against the door and pinned her using all of her body weight. She ravished Olivia's lips and neck in kisses. The brunette's head dropped back when Alex bit down on her neck. "My room…now," she said, out of breath. The blonde kissed the shorter woman again.

They moved down the hall, into the bedroom and ended up on the bed before they broke the kiss. Olivia looked down. "Stay right here…don't move." She got up, reset 'The Strip Side' to the first song, hit play, went to the end of the bed and crawled up to Alex. She spread her legs and the detective knelt between them. Olivia licked a line with her tongue up the blonde's torso as she slid the silky blue dress up and rested it on her chest. The A.D.A. lifted her body slightly and the brunette took the dress completely off of her. She rested her body back onto the bed and smiled at her detective. She smiled back and licked a line down Alex's neck all the way to her navel, leaving a trail of goose bumps behind. The A.D.A. hadn't worn a bra either. The detective rid her lover of her thong. She pushed her knees up and Alex rested her feet flat on the bed. Olivia positioned herself differently between her lover's legs and licked softly at her sex. The blonde moaned slightly. She licked again and it garnered the same response. The detective used her fingers to part the already slick folds and licked again. A whimper came from Alex, the sound made the brunette grin. Olivia used her tongue to make tiny circles across the younger woman's clit. The whimpers turned into labored breathing as she twisted under the sensation. Eventually the detective stopped and looked up at Alex as the playlist continued to play the song Lighting Crashes by LIVE:

(Lightning crashes, a new mother cries  
this moment she's been waiting for  
the angel opens her eyes  
pale blue coloured iris,  
presents the circle  
and puts the glory out to hide, hide)

Alex opened her eyes and met Olivia's gaze. The brunette looked into the pale blue coloured eyes behind the black frames. She would stop at nothing to get the blonde back in her life…for good. They smiled at each other as the detective slid two fingers inside her. The A.D.A.'s head feel back against the pillow and Olivia quickened the pace to the beat of the song.

(Oh now feel it comin' back again  
like a rollin' thunder chasing the wind  
forces pullin' from the center of the earth again  
I can feel it.)

As the chorus repeated itself the brunette made circles with her thumb on Alex clit while she curled her fingers up inside her. She could feel small contractions start within the taller woman.

(Oh now feel it comin' back again  
like a rollin' thunder chasing the wind  
forces pullin' from the center of the earth again  
I can feel it.)

It didn't take much longer; the blonde's orgasm took over as she squealed with pleasure. Olivia let her ride it out and even started licking Alex's clit as she gently removed her fingers. The blonde's legs straightened and fell on to the bed. The detective shimmied up her body and straddled her torso. Alex opened her eyes lazily. "I've missed you, Detective."

Olivia bent down and kissed the woman beneath her. When the kiss ended they locked eyes. "I've missed you, too," Olivia said as she removed the A.D.A.'s glasses. Several songs played as the women took turns kissing, licking, sucking and nibbling each other. They reveled each other. Alex slipped the brunette's dress off to find she, too, was not wearing a bra. The A.D.A. smirked at her detective. "How did you keep them in one place all night without a bra?"

The other woman grinned back. "Did you see that dress? I'm just glad the threads held cause nothing else was fitting in the top of that dress but my breasts."

Alex cupped them and sucked the nipple of the right breast. She bit down gently, causing the other woman to inhale quickly. The blonde pushed Olivia down onto the bed. She let the breast fall out of her mouth and ran her hands along the detective's sides, along her thighs and pushed her knees up as a new song started, Drive by Melissa Ferrick.

("If you want this  
if you want this  
if you want this, you're gonna have to ask  
nicely please  
yeah if you want this  
you're gonna have to ask me  
you're gonna have to ask me)

The A.D.A. smiled slyly down at the woman before her. "What do you want?"

"You…I want you…"

She ran her hands down the brunette's inner thighs and gently rubbed her clit with the thumb of her right hand. Olivia's head fell back and her eyes shuddered closed.

(Whatever you want  
I'll give it to you  
I'll give it to you slowly  
'till you're just begging me to hold you  
ya whatever you want  
whatever you want  
but you're gonna have to ask me)

"What do you want?" Alex asked again.

"More…" was all the detective could get out.

The blonde sunk two fingers inside Olivia's sex and she arched her back at the sensation.

(Your mouth waters  
stretched out on my bed  
your fingers are trembling  
and your heart is heavy and red  
and your head is bent back  
and your back is arched  
my hand is under there  
holding you up

I'll hold you up  
and drive you all night  
I'll hold you up  
and drive you baby 'till you feel the daylight  
I'll hold you up  
and drive you all night  
I'll hold you up  
and drive you 'till you feel the daylight  
that's right  
that's right)

Alex worked a third finger inside her lover and gently twisted all of them into the spot she knew her detective wanted them to be. The brunette's breathing was heavy. "Uh, uh, uhhhhh…" came from her mouth as the A.D.A. worked her over, rubbing the thumb of her left hand over Olivia's clit.

(In the kitchen  
in the shower  
and in the back seat of my car  
I'll hold you up  
in your office  
preferably during business hours  
'cause you know how I like it when there's people around  
and I know how you like it  
yeah I know how you like it  
I know how you like it when I tease you for hours

Your mouth waters  
stretched out on my bed  
your fingers are trembling  
and your heart is heavy and red  
and your head is bent back  
and your back is arched  
and my hand is under there  
holding you up)

As Alex quickened the pace she felt the older woman start to contract. She was whimpering and moaning but the blonde wanted to hear more. She wanted to show Olivia just how much she loved her. She started to lick her detective's clit as she slid a fourth finger inside her sex. The brunette bucked her hips and spread her legs wider to accommodate all the fingers.

(I'll hold you up  
and drive you all night  
I'll hold you up  
and drive you baby 'till you feel the daylight  
I'll hold you up  
and drive you all night  
I'll hold you up  
and drive you 'till you feel the daylight  
oh and this has just begun

Yeah this has just begun  
because we haven't even gotten started yet  
I haven't even  
I haven't even tied you up  
I haven't even turned you over  
this is where I want to live  
right here between your hips  
where all the love you hold and hide  
it's where it lives  
right here between your hips  
this is where I want to live  
it's where all the love you give exists)

Olivia was not going to be able to hold out much longer…and the blonde could feel it. She stopped licking her detective and moved her left hand over her abdomen. This was it. Alex couldn't wait. She placed her thumb on Olivia's clit and rubbed as she pushed the heel of her palm down below her navel, applying pressure to the detective's lower belly. The brunette howled with pleasure as she came…hard. The A.D.A. grinned at the sound as she watched her detective wither by her hands.

(Your mouth waters  
stretched out on my bed  
your fingers are trembling  
and your heart is heavy and red  
your head is bent back  
your back is arched  
my hand is under there  
holding you up)

Alex rubbed her lover's clit gently as she removed her fingers. She left love bites up Olivia's abdomen, torso, chest and neck. The blonde kissed her detective lovingly as the song ended.

(I'll hold you up  
and drive you all night  
I'll hold you up  
and drive you baby 'till you feel the daylight  
I'll hold you up  
and drive you all night  
I'll hold you up  
and drive you baby ''till you feel the daylight  
that's right  
yeah  
that's right  
that's right  
that's right  
I'll hold you up  
that's right  
that's right  
I'll drive you all night")

A few more songs played and the women laid together, just taking in the scent of the room. Neither wanted to move, and they didn't for quite some time, they just talked as the taller woman spooned the shorter one.

Olivia ran the index finger of her right hand over the blonde's forearm and held her hand in hers. "You think we can make this work?"

"I hope so. I really need it to work, Liv." She said as she dovetailed their fingers.

The brunette closed her eyes and pushed her backside into Alex's abdomen. "I'm not sure what I will do if it doesn't."

**Manhattan's SVU Squad Room**

**Thursday September 3****rd****, 08:01**

Olivia strolled into the bullpen with a box of doughnuts. She tossed them down by the coffeemaker as she grabbed a mug and poured herself a cup of coffee. The men in the squad looked at each other and Elliot nodded. "I got this," he whispered. He got up and walked over to his partner. "Soooo…how was last night?"

Her breath caught in her throat as she recalled the night before.

"Liv?" he gave her a questioning look.

She snapped out of her thoughts. "It was great."

"Just great?" her partner coaxed.

The detective took a sip of her coffee and swallowed it; she hadn't looked at Elliot yet. "You want all the horny details?"

His jaw dropped. "I uhhh…I mean if you….uhhh…if you…"

Olivia turned and looked at him with a shit-eating grin on her face. "Thought so. You're all talk and no action, El."

The partners walked back to their desks and sat down. The brunette looked over her mug and across their desks. "Did you drop Jess off at school?"

"Yes…I am capable of being a responsible father…" he stopped dead in his tracks.

She lowered her mug and smiled sweetly at her partner. "I know you are."

"I ummm….Liv, that's not what I meant. I just meant that I can take care of Jess…that you can trust me with her," he flushed slightly as he spoke.

"El, relax." She lowered her mug completely and set it on her desk. "You are the closet thing she is ever going to have to a father. She calls you 'old man' for God's sakes. She loves you…you know that right?"

Elliot grinned. "Yeah, I know," he shrugged. "I love her, too. Are you okay with it? I mean with me being so close to your daughter."

The brunette's eyes lit up as her trademark crooked smiled hijacked her face. It was really the first time she had heard Elliot say Jess was her daughter like that. "Yes…I'm actually very okay with it. Jess and Richard are very fond of each other. I'm glad she has the relationship she does with your whole family."

He looked down at his desk, slightly embarrassed. Elliot looked back at his partner. "We really do like having her around. She's a great kid. You girls still coming to the cabins this weekend?"

Olivia nodded.

"All three of you are coming?" he asked with his right eyebrow raised.

His partner was still smiling. "Yes…and El, no more questions."

Elliot grinned. He put his hands behind his head, laced them and leaned back in his chair. "Awww…come on…"

Cragen came out of his office and addressed his squad. "Listen up; I just got a call from the first responders in Little Italy. They caught a fatal MVA, auto verses pedestrian."

Olivia's heart skipped a beat and then almost stopped completely. All she could think of was Jess. There was no reason for her to be there but it was the detectives first thought, her only thought. _Had Jess been hit? Was she gone?_ Cragen looked at her as he spoke. "The victim is Kyle Ryan." Olivia could barely hear her Captain over her own thoughts, but she was pretty sure he hadn't said Jess's name.

The Captain turned to everyone else. "I want everyone down there. We need to find out what happened."

Everyone stood and got ready to leave. Olivia was still sitting in her chair. Elliot looked at her. "Liv, you don't have to go. You spent a lot of time with Kyle Ryan. Maybe you should stay here?"

Hearing the name for the first time shocked the detective. She realized he was one of Markus Stanley's, A.K.A. Markus Pharaoh, victims. "I'm going with you." Olivia got up and followed her co-workers out of the squad.

**206 Grant Street**

"**Little Italy"**

**Thursday September 3****rd****, 09:15**

Munch and Fin rolled up first. The parked their sedan around the corner and walked to the crime scene. They showed their badges to a pair of uniformed officers who were keeping people out. They let them under the crime scene tape and one of the officers took them to the victim.

Once they got there Fin looked down at Melinda Warner, the medical examiner, who was keeling beside the victim. "Whatta we got, Doc?"

Warner looked up at him. "The victim is Kyle Ryan, age six." She stood and was greeted with Stabler and Benson's presents as well. "Although I suspect you already knew who the victim was."

Benson looked at the medical examiner. "What happened to him? How did he end up in the middle of the street?"

"You'll have to talk to the uniforms that where the first responders. Although it sounds as if he was walking with his mother, on Grant Street, he let go of her hand and walked out into traffic," Melinda said.

Olivia's jaw dropped. "She just let him go?"

Warner shook her head. "I'm not sure. The mother was hysterical and in shock. I think she thought he was going to look in the window of that pet store." She nodded her head towards the store. "But he walked out in front of the minivan. They took the mother to Beth Abraham Hospital to be treated."

Munch looked at her disbelievingly. "Are you saying this was a suicide?"

"I'm not saying anything officially, yet. I'll call you when my report is complete. You'll have to talk to the patrol officers to get their take on what happened," Melinda said.

Stabler looked around at each of them. "Suicide is extremely rare in children this young."

Warner nodded. "Very rare. I read a statistic recently that had the count at four in 500,000 deaths. The stat is juked though."

Fin looked at her. "How so?"

"A lot of the time the cause of death will be ruled 'accidental' when it's really suicide. Most families can't live with the trauma or stigma of having such a young child commit suicide. So some M.E.'s rig the C.O.D and rule it accidental," Melinda explained.

The detectives spoke to the uniformed officers and their take on the scene was that it was in fact a suicide. The boy had run out in front of the minivan on purpose. There were no skid marks until after the point of impact, the driver hadn't even had time to try to avoid the child.

They went back to their precinct and tried to move on with other cases. Olivia called Alex to tell her about Kyle Ryan. The A.D.A. had some news for the detective as well.

"How did Stanley know who I was?"

This had the attention of Stabler. It was hard not to hear each other's phone conversations given that their desks faced each other in the squad room. None of the detectives had ever been able to figure out how Olivia's cover was blown in the park the day of the meet and greet with Markus Stanley.

Alex sat back in her leather chair behind her desk as she spoke on the phone with Olivia. "Apparently, Ronald Blaze's one phone call was to Markus Stanley. Blaze was still reeling from his conversation with you and Elliot. He couldn't say enough about your breasts, amongst other things. Stanley hired an attorney for Blaze. He knew we had Blaze's computers the whole time. He played us from the beginning."

Olivia met her partner's eyes as she spoke to Alex. "Thanks for letting me know. I'll tell the rest of the squad."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen: Eyes Wide Open**

**488 Amsterdam Ave**

**Residence of Detective Olivia Benson**

**Friday September 4****th****, 12:30**

Everyone congregated on the street outside Olivia and Jess's apartment building. The Stabler's had come in their minivan and car, packed to the hilt, not only with their gear but with all of their kids and Maureen's boyfriend. Alex looked at Elliot as he got out of the car and walked over to her and her SUV. "You had to bring two cars, El?"

He smiled and shrugged. "What can I say, there are too many of us to fit in the van."

Alex looked back at his car. "Who's in the car?"

"Kathy and Eli. Plus some luggage that wouldn't fit in the van," he said once he reached her.

Jess and Olivia came out of the building with the last bit of gear. The A.D.A. looked from the car to Elliot. "Why don't you, Kathy and Eli ride with us? There is enough room for your stuff too."

The shorter blonde's eyes lit up and she grinned. "If we take two vehicles I'm riding in the van with the kids." She looked from Alex to Olivia, they both nodded. She turned to Elliot. "Well old man, you leaving your car here or what?"

He nodded his head. "Yeah, it's staying here. Come help me with the stuff though."

Olivia, Elliot and Jess moved the contents of the car to the SUV, including Eli and his car seat. Jess hopped into the front seat of the minivan, Richard was driving. Alex drove her BMW, with Kathy riding shot-gun and Eli, Olivia and Elliot in the back seat.

The ride in the minivan was loud. They listened to music, had the windows open and yelled at each other all the way to the pit stop, a greasy spoon just over half way to the lake. Jess, Olivia, Elliot and Richard stood in line with everyone's order, Kathy and Alex went to change Eli and Maureen, her boyfriend, Kathleen and Elizabeth found three picnic tables together for everyone to sit at.

Kathy laid Eli down and started to change him. She looked at Alex quickly. "You didn't have to come with me."

"I know. I actually wanted to talk to you…alone." Alex said.

The shorter blonde changed Eli but looked at the A.D.A. "What's wrong?"

Alex sighed. "In spite of everything that has happened in the last three weeks it's really not that bad. I just…need some advice." She looked away and then back at Kathy. "Olivia is filing adoption papers for Jess when we get back to the city next week."

"I know, Jess told me on Wednesday night. Are you and Olivia doing a joint adoption?" Kathy asked.

The A.D.A. shook her head. "No, Liv and I aren't married; it's impossible for us both to adopt her. Plus, Jess is Olivia's. She always has been. I am just lucky to be in her life. Did she tell you what happened between us?"

Kathy nodded. "The lying, the fight…yeah she told me."

"This is really hard for me. I don't want to tell Olivia how I feel but I need to tell someone," Alex said, her tone slightly deeper than normal.

The shorter blonde's face became softer. "Look, Alex, you can tell me. You and I both know how it feels to be in a relationship with the detectives of the SVU."

Alex closed her eyes, opened them and started, "I love Jess very much. Loosing her the way that I did after our fight was one of the most painful things I have ever had to deal with. I never want to go through that again. I'm really scared that once Olivia adopts Jess they will be tied together forever, they will be family and I…" she couldn't finish.

"Won't be?" Kathy said and Alex nodded. "Alex, that's not true. I mean yes, Liv and Jess will be forever linked by law but that doesn't make you or your role in Jess's life any less significant."

"I don't want to lose her again."

Kathy shook her head. "Being a parent, a good one anyway, is making difficult decisions; most of the time they are very unpopular with your kids. Elliot wasn't around a lot while the older kids were growing up. I fought with the girls all the time. They slammed bedroom doors, threw things, called me all kinds of names, and told me they hated me. One time Kathleen didn't talk to me for two weeks." She gave a half smile. "But in the end they came around. You have to do what is in their best interest…even if it means they don't like you."

The A.D.A. looked at Kathy with sadness in her eyes. "What if Jess decides not to come around? Your children are legally yours, blood related. If Jess decides not to see me or that she doesn't want me in her life I can't be."

"After you apologized to her you left her alone right?"

"Yes, I had to. She told me she hated me and wanted me to stay away from her."

"She came to you right?" Kathy picked up Eli, who was now dressed again.

"Yes. She showed up at my office one evening."

Kathy smiled slightly. "She didn't say very much did she? Didn't apologize, didn't ask you for one either. She just stayed quiet but hung around you right?"

The taller blonde nodded and her eyes widened slightly. "Yes. Did she tell you that, too?"

"No…it's just a very teenage girl thing to do. Lizzie does that a lot. She rarely wants to talk about what happened. Once enough time passes for her, the anger goes away and she just wants things to go back to the way they were before we started arguing."

They walked out of the bathroom and out into the warm September sunlight. Alex looked at Kathy. "That's pretty much verbatim what Jess said to me the third time we got together. She even acted as if nothing had happened between us."

Kathy stopped walking and turned to Alex. "Jess loves you very much. It's obvious she wants you in her life, needs you in her life. She is going to throw fits, say things she doesn't mean even do things completely out of character for herself. She's 16 years old. If you hold your ground and love her she will come back, Al. You don't need a legal document tying her to you to see that."

The A.D.A. looked down and then back at Kathy. "How can you be so sure?"

"Honestly…it's the way she always holds your hand. Jess doesn't do that with Liv, she does other things to be close to her. She holds _your_ hand though. Pulls you places or puts your arm around her and holds it…she does it a lot. The day she stops taking your hand is the day I would be concerned."

Alex smiled at her. "Thanks, Kath."

They smiled at each other and walked over to the picnic tables to join everyone else. As they sat down Jess took Eli from Kathy and Maureen addressed everyone. "Sooo…we were talking in the van on the way here and we wanted to run something past you guys," she looked at Olivia, Elliot, Kathy and Alex who were all seated at one table.

"This should be good." Elliot said, leveling a look around his table. He looked back at his daughter. "Who are you representing in 'we'?"

Maureen smiled. "The kids. We were wondering if the kids could have the big cabin and the adults could have the smaller one?"

The table of adults was quiet for a full five seconds as they looked at each other. Then they burst out laughing. Kathy looked at her Maureen and spoke through her laugher. "As if you guys really thought you were going to get your own cabin."

Richard looked around. "Told you they wouldn't go for it!"

Everyone got back into the vehicles and drove the rest of the way to the lake. They arrived just before 4:00PM, unpacked and met on the deck of the bigger cabin, the one the Stabler's had rented to accommodate their family. It was decided that Elliot, Richard and Maureen's boyfriend Ben would go into the small town near the cabins and get groceries while the girls went down to the dock and soaked up the last bit of sun.

Kathleen, Maureen, Lizzie and Jess set their towels on the dock and laid on them. Olivia pulled three deck chairs out to the dock for herself, Alex and Kathy. She sat in one, laid her head back and listened to the water and the girls discussing whose iPod they were going to listen to first in the portable dock Jess had brought.

Alex caught Kathy and Eli on their way down to the dock from the cabin. "Hey, can I run something by you?"

"Sure," Kathy said holding the little boy's hand as he toddled down the narrow path.

"At the rest stop the kids had asked about having the bigger cabin to themselves and the adults having the smaller one. Why was that such a bad idea?"

Kathy looked up at Alex. "I know that Maureen and Ben live together, they are 27 and 30 though. Richard and Jess don't live together. Even if we tell them they can't sleep in the same bed don't you think they will?"

"They might try, but I have an idea. If the kids get a cabin to themselves then all the kids have to be in that cabin, including Eli. Which means that Olivia and I and you and your husband have a three bedroom cabin to ourselves. I'm not sure about you but that is pretty appealing to me," Alex grinned.

"You do have a good point. I can't remember the last time El and I were alone, without our kids. Do you really think Eli will be enough of a deterrent to keep Jess and Richard in separate rooms?"

Alex shrugged. "A screaming two year old with a loaded diaper…it's a start."

Kathy smiled. "I'm willing to give it a shot. We'll talk to El and Liv later about it."

Once they reached the dock Kathy sat down in one of the chairs. Maureen took Eli and played with him. Alex set her beach towel on the dock and laid down with the other girls. Olivia smiled; she knew her A.D.A. would regret that later. Jess and Lizzie caught the detective's gaze. They were sitting on the end of the dock, with their legs over the edge talking.

The younger of the two, Jess, had come down to the dock in surfboard shorts and a bikini top and had never taken the shorts off. The other girls lying on the dock, including Alex were all in just their bikinis. Even she and Kathy were sitting in the chairs in bikinis. The more Olivia thought about it she came to realize she had never seen Jess wear anything on her bottom half but shorts, skirts or pants. Even when they suntanned on Alex's boat a few weeks earlier she had never shed her board shorts. The detective realized that her little girl was still self-conscious when it came to revealing herself. It had been almost four months since her attack but she still had a long way to go. Olivia could feel someone's eyes on her. She turned and saw Kathy. Their eyes met and went back to their daughters, sitting on the end of the dock. Lizzie put her arm around Jess and the shorter blonde put her head on the shoulder of the taller one. They let go and crawled across the dock to their towels, which were side-by-side. Jess untied the laces in the front of her board shorts and shimmied out them. The young women laid there and said nothing more to one another. Jess started reading a book and Lizzie listened to the music.

Olivia turned to Kathy and they exchanged nods. Their daughters were getting close and it was nice to see. Time passed but the women barely noticed until they were interrupted by the guys. Ben and Richard ran across the dock to just before the girls and cannonballed off the side, sending water over all the girls lying on the dock. Elliot sidled up between his wife and Olivia. He was sweating like crazy and panting slightly. Kathy looked up at him. "Where have you been?"

"We played some basketball on the courts just down the road," Elliot said as he stood in shorts with no shirt on.

"Let me guess…they kicked your ass," Olivia grinned up at him. There was something about her partner standing there sweaty and out of breath…he was still very good looking.

Elliot rolled his eyes. "I taught them a thing or two."

Kathy and Olivia threw their heads back in laughter. "They are 30 and 17. Those boys ran circles around you, El, and you know it!" His wife said, still laughing.

Ben had gotten out of the lake. He had pick up Maureen like a baby and jumped in with her. Richard was talking to Jess at the end of the dock then he pulled her in to the drink as well. Lizzie put water wings on Eli; he was also wearing a little outfit that would keep him afloat. She jumped in and held her arms out for Eli to jump to her. He did. Kathleen jumped in after that. Alex stood up and winced slightly as she walked towards the end of the dock. She was getting too old to lay on docks. Olivia giggled slightly, stood and walked over to her girlfriend. She leaned in and whispered coyly in the blonde's ear. "Think you're 22 years old again?"

Alex smiled surreptitiously. "No…but I'm younger than you." She grabbed her detective and jumped off the end of the dock, sending both of them into the water. Jess was on Richard's back, her arms around his neck and her legs wrapped around his torso. She smiled at the sight of Olivia and Alex being together. All she could hope was that it lasted this time.

Elliot grinned at his partner, who was now in the lake. "Cold enough for you, Liv?"

She flipped him the bird. He turned to his wife. "You think they'll last this time?"

Kathy smiled as she watched Jess taking in the sight of the two women in the water. They had taken Eli from Lizzie and were playing with him in the water. "I hope so. Jess needs them too. Look at how happy she is."

The detective looked at the blonde wrapped around his son. "She's a good kid. You're okay with Jess being around more?"

"Yeah, I really like having her at the house. She and Lizzie are getting very close, too," Kathy said.

"You okay with Richard and Jess dating?" Elliot asked

His wife snickered. "I think it's a little late to ask that." She raised her right eyebrow but continued to look at her son and his girlfriend. "Are they having sex?"

Elliot shrugged. "Probably. I told him to wear a condom."

She shook her head. "They are sooo young."

"Richard is going to be 18 in a few weeks. How old was I when we had Maureen again?" He asked with a grin on his face.

She turned to her husband. "That's exactly what I mean! We shouldn't have been doing it at their age!"

"Calm down. They are a lot smarter than we are. They'll be fine."

Kathy looked at her husband. "Getting optimistic in your old age?"

Elliot grinned like the Cheshire cat. He picked his wife up like a firefighter would a victim and walked to the end of the dock. "Old age huh?" He jumped in the water with Kathy over his shoulder.

Richard and Elliot barbequed chicken and potatoes for dinner while Alex and Olivia made the salad. The adults discussed the cabin situation and decided the kids were old enough to have one to themselves. While everyone ate dinner the adults announced that the kids would be able to have their own cabin.

The kids cleared and washed the dished from dinner. Almost everyone went down to the fire pit near the dock to start the bonfire. Alex stood at the railing of the deck of the bigger cabin and looked out across the lake as the sun set. Jess went over to her and took her right hand in her left. The taller blonde closed her eyes and smiled. She squeezed the younger woman's hand slightly and Jess leaned against Alex. They stood there for a minute, completely silent. Jess pushed off the A.D.A. gently, turned and looked at her. "Can I ask you something?"

Alex, opened her eyes, turned to look at the young woman when something caught her eyes. She focused her gaze quickly and saw Kathy holding Eli and walking towards the stairs to go down to the dock. The mother smiled and nodded at Alex and she nodded slightly back to her. Kathy had been right about Jess taking her hand. The taller blonde looked down at the shorter one, still holding her hand. "Sure."

"Will you lay in the hammock with me tomorrow? Just the two of us." She blushed slightly as she asked.

The older blonde smiled softly. "Yes, of course. Jessie, there is no reason to be embarrassed about asking that. I like when we do things like that. I've missed you so much. Between me moving out of Olivia's apartment, you and me fighting…I just…"

Jess let go of the A.D.A.'s hand and hugged her. "I know, Ally, it's really hard now that you don't live with us; we use to spend all this time together and now I hardly see you. I don't want you to watch me all of the time, but I would like to see you sometimes."

Alex stroked the teen's hair. "Maybe next weekend you could come over to my place? We could play Dance, Dance, Revolution, watch movies and eat popcorn."

The young woman smiled. "I'd like that."

After the bonfire everyone marched up to the larger cabin. They stood on the deck. Elliot gave Eli, who was sleeping, to Richard. "Take him and put him to bed. I don't care who takes care of him tonight…but someone better get up with him if he cries."

Richard took his little brother from his father. "Don't worry Dad; we'll take care of him."

Kathy looked at all of the kids. "Jess and Lizzie share a room. Richard and Kathleen each get their own rooms and Maureen and Ben get their own room."

Elliot pointed his finger at all the kids, but it was clear the warning was for his oldest son and his girlfriend. "No swapping rooms and no sharing beds…"

Lizzie looked at her father. "Dad, stop peddling that after-school-special garbage. Jess and Rich won't be sleeping together."

Richard pushed his sister with his free hand. Elliot and Olivia looked at each and grinned slightly. Lizzie and Jess were getting very close. They were saying the same things.

Kathy shook her head. "Fine. Good night everyone."

The kids went inside their cabin and the adults made the short walk to theirs. Once inside Elliot grinned at his partner and A.D.A. "Goodnight ladies."

The pair looked at each other and then back at him. "Goodnight," they said in unison. Alex and Olivia went to their room and the Stabler's went to the other side of the cabin to their bedroom.

Elliot looked at his wife as she lay naked on their bed. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

She blushed slightly. "Shut up and get in here."

He did what he was told and hopped into bed, also devoid of any clothing. He leaned in and kissed Kathy. He ran his right hand down her neck, breast and torso. They broke their kiss and stared at each other for a minute. "You okay, El?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Sorry…can I ask you something?"

Kathy raised her brow and nodded.

"Are you okay with how close I am to Jess?"

The right side of her mouth tugged up in a smirk. "You mean how close you are getting to Olivia's daughter?"

Elliot sighed. "Yeah."

"Look, El, you and I have been thought a lot. There will always be a part of me that is envious of Olivia because she knows parts of you that I don't; that I never will. How I feel about you and Liv has nothing to do with Jess. I think it's great that the two of you get along the way that you do." She put her left hand on the side of Elliot's face. "You are a good father. Jess needs that in her life and I'm glad she has found that in you." Kathy kissed her husband.

Alex straddled Olivia's torso. She looked down and lost herself in the deep brown eyes of her detective. "You are unequivocally the most gorgeous woman I have ever met."

Olivia smiled and ran her hands along the smooth alabaster thighs of the woman she loved. Her eyes sparkled. "I love you, Alexandra."

The blonde smiled back. "I love you, too." She bent down and kissed her detective. The women ravish each other for the next hour and a half. Olivia untangled herself from the A.D.A's arms. Alex's breathing had gotten deeper and slower as they laid in each other's arms. The detective got up, put a robe on and tiptoed out of the bedroom. She closed the door behind herself and padded out to the kitchen to make herself a sandwich. She was starving. The detective was surprised to find the light on over the stove and her partner standing, hunched over the island in the kitchen, eating a sandwich.

She sidled up to him and put her elbows on the countertop. "Soooo…" she began.

Elliot shot her a half-smile. "Soooo…"

Their eyes met and they laughed quietly at each other. She stood there only in a robe, while he was only clad in boxer-briefs. Olivia grabbed the half of her partner's sandwich that was still on the plate. She took a bite. He grinned at her. "Where's Alex?"

Olivia swallowed. "Sleeping. Where's Kathy?"

He smirked. "Sleeping. I guess we still got it, huh?" Elliot took a bite of the sandwich in his hand.

She giggled slightly, took another bite and nodded. Olivia swallowed. "I get the distinct impression that all the effort we made trying to keep our private and work lives separate was in vain."

Elliot raised his right eyebrow and smirked. "Yah think? Look at us…we're eating a sandwich together in a cabin where we just nailed the women we love. Our kids are picking up each other's lingo. Your daughter and my son are dating and my wife and your girlfriend team up against us…"

"Alright, alright…so our lives are inextricably linked." Olivia said smiling. "You okay with it?" She shifted slightly.

He smiled as his eye-line dipped. The way she had just moved gave him an unobstructed view of most of her breasts. They were beautiful. He looked back up at his partner's eyes and nodded at her. "Yeah…are you?"

Olivia smirked and shrugged. "Well I said it before…you're the longest relationship I've ever had with a man. I'm good with it."

"You think Richard and Jess are sleeping in the same bed?" Elliot asked.

His partner snickered as she swallowed a mouth full of the sandwich. "Probably…you think their doing it?"

Elliot shrugged. "Probably." He nodded towards her. "What's Alex like in bed?"

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "State secret El, sorry."

He swallowed the last bite of his half of the sandwich and grinned at her. "I'll bet she's an animal once she takes her glasses off."

Olivia smiled her trademark crooked smile at him. "Alex is amazing. What happens between us in the bedroom stays there. I will say this…Her glasses stay on, if I have anything to say about it and I have sex with my eyes wide open because I don't wanna miss watching her doing anything to me."

Elliot grinned as he shook his head. "I'll bet."

**Epilogue:**

**Same As It Ever Was**

The weekend at the lake was incredible. It solidified Alex and Jess's relationship. The two spent some quality time together and became just as comfortable with one another as they had been before their fight. When everyone was back in the city things continued on as they had been. Olivia and the A.D.A. went on several more dates. University started for Lizzie and Richard and baseball wrapped up for Jess. Olivia and Jess filed adoption papers with the State of New York. A hearing was scheduled for early January of the following year.

Olivia and Alex found a new groove. Without having to juggle Jess they were finally allowed to concentrate on their relationship. The pair still wished they had more time for each other but at least they could say they were happy.

About four weeks after that, in mid-October during dinner Alex asked Olivia and Jess to move in with her. The pair looked at each other and smiled. It was time and the young woman was ready. Much to the A.D.A.'s surprise they agreed. Olivia gave her 60 days notice to the superintendent the next day…meaning her and Jess would have to be out of the apartment by mid-December.

Jess continued to spend time at the Stablers' house. She spent some time alone at both Olivia's and Alex's places…although she normally snuck Richard into the buildings so they could be together. They carried on with going out to clubs as well. The pair enjoyed two specific clubs, paid off the bouncers to let them in and had a blast on Friday and Saturday nights when they could get away.

The teen maintained her grades, meaning she prolonged her stay in Computer Crimes. It was grunt work all the way for Jess now, but at least she was still working with computers. She missed baseball and as busy as school, work, therapy and her boyfriend kept her, she took on an urban dance class. If nothing else she was picking up moves to out-do her boyfriend on the dance floor.

**The End**

**Author's Note**

Stay tuned for the third and final novel in my 'S' series. 'Sins' is more than half written and will pick up pretty much where the epilogue ended. As with any good trilogy, Sins will not only have new storylines, carry forward with existing ones but will also take us right back to the beginning of the series in order to clear up old ones. Many thanks for coming this far with me and these stories.


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